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cement

Pronunciation: /səˈmɛnt/

The English word “cement” has 10 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A powdered substance produced by firing (calcining) calcium carbonate (limestone) and clay that develops strong cohesive properties when mixed with water. The main ingredient of concrete.
  2. The paste-like substance resulting from mixing such a powder with water, or the rock-like substance that forms when it dries.
  3. Any material with strong adhesive and cohesive properties such as binding agents, glues, grout.
  4. A bond of union; that which unites firmly, as persons in friendship or in society.
  5. The layer of bone investing the root and neck of a tooth; cementum.

verb

  1. To affix with cement.
  2. To overlay or coat with cement.
  3. To unite firmly or closely.
  4. To repair.
  5. To make permanent.

Etymology

From Middle English syment, cyment, from Old French ciment, from Latin caementum (“quarry stone; stone chips for making mortar”), from caedō (“to cut, hew”). Doublet of cementum.

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.