asbestos
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /æsˈbɛs.tɒs/
ipa: /æsˈbɛs.təs/
ipa: /æzˈbɛs.təs/
ipa: /æzˈbɛs.təs/
Forms: form: asbestoses
form: asbesti
form: asbestus
Etymology: From Old French abestos, from Latin asbestos, itself from Ancient Greek ἄσβεστος (ásbestos, “unquenchable, inextinguishable”), from ᾰ̓- (ă-, “not”) + σβέννῡμῐ (sbénnūmĭ, “I quench, quell”).
Senses: examples: text: All types of asbestos are potentially carcinogenic when inhaled.
text: Asbestos insulation was once ubiquitous.
text: Consul Baker, of Antung, China, states that valuable deposits of asbestos have been found in the vicinity of Kuantien, a small town lying about 45 miles northeast of Antung.[…]There are three mines now in operation, each employing about 30 workers. These workers, however, are mostly farmers who devote only their spare time to mining and use simply hammers and chisels and gather only the asbestos which lies near the surface.
ref: 1913 February, “Asbestos Mines in China”, in Mines and Minerals, volume XXXIII, number 7, Scranton, PA, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 398, column 3:
text: Insulation against sound and changes in external temperature is given by a thickness of asbestos on the inside of the panels.
ref: 1946 November and December, “New L.M.S.R. Royal Coaches”, in Railway Magazine, page 371:
topics: chemistry
geography
geology
mineralogy
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate, used for fireproofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings, chemical filters, suits, fireman's gloves, etc.
topics: chemistry
geography
geology
mineralogy
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: Any of asbestos-like forms of several minerals, asbestiforms
examples: text: She sipped the coffee; she always did have asbestos lips.
ref: 2013 December 17, Tom Holt, When It's A Jar: YouSpace Book 2, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
text: They were exceptionally good and were accompanied by a chili sauce that had to be eaten with great caution unless you had an asbestos tongue but was nonetheless delicious.
ref: 2014 May 29, Bernard Veale, Read My Lips, Andrews UK Limited, →ISBN:
text: "Yikes!" I yelped. "This water is scalding!" Lena explained to me that she had asbestos hands. Since it was obvious that I did not have asbestos hands, I offered to dry rather than wash.
ref: 2020 October 13, Valérie Falzo, Extraordinary Souls I Have Known, Covenant Books, Inc., →ISBN:
text: Dad plucks the steamed Chinese charcuterie out with his asbestos fingers, places it on the wooden circular chopping board and begins slicing it into bite-size pieces before returning it to the pot.
ref: 2022 July 21, Angela Hui, Takeaway: Stories from a childhood behind the counter, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
glosses: The supposed material composing part of the body that is impervious to heat, or by extension other unpleasant sensations; especially hot or spicy food.
Hyponyms: sense: amphibole
word: blue asbestos
sense: amphibole
word: crocidolite
sense: amphibole
word: riebeckite
sense: amphibole
word: amosite
sense: amphibole
word: brown asbestos
sense: amphibole
word: tremolite
sense: amphibole
word: tremolite asbestos
sense: amphibole
word: actinolite
sense: amphibole
word: actinolite asbestos
sense: amphibole
word: anthophyllite
sense: amphibole
word: anthophyllite asbestos
sense: forms of magnesium silicate
word: serpentine: parachrysotile
word: amianthus
word: common asbestos
word: chrysotile
sense: asbestiform
word: richterite
sense: asbestiform
word: winchite
Coordinate terms: english: a type of asbestos
translation: a type of asbestos
word: amianthus
Derived terms: asbestic
asbestiferous
asbestification
asbestiform
asbestify
asbestine
asbestinite
asbestise
asbestite
asbestization
asbestize
asbestoid
asbestos cement
asbestosis
asbestosization
asbestosize
asbestosless
asbestoslike
asbestous
blue asbestos
brown asbestos
common asbestos
green asbestos
nonasbestos
white asbestos