Tarmac Meaning in English
word
Definition
A hard, black material used for roads and airport runways. Also used to refer to the surface of an airport's runway or parking area for planes.
Usage & Nuances
'Tarmac' originally refers to tar-penetrated macadam (a type of road surface), but now it often means any paved area, especially at airports ('on the tarmac' means outdoors at an airport near the airplanes). In everyday use, 'tarmac' is more common in British English; Americans often say 'asphalt' or 'runway'.
Example Sentences
The plane is waiting on the tarmac.
basic
The workers are repairing the tarmac on the road.
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Children like to play on the smooth tarmac at school.
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We stepped out onto the hot tarmac and felt the heat rising.
natural
After landing, the passengers had to wait on the tarmac for half an hour.
natural
The new stadium parking lot is covered in fresh tarmac.
natural