asbestos

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a commercial and legal name for a group of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals

   The geologist identified asbestos fibres in the rock sample.

2. 2
   noun

   a formerly common heat-resistant insulating or fireproofing material made from those mineral fibres

   Workers removed old asbestos from the building under strict safety controls.

Common collocations

• asbestos abatement Noun + noun

Through Latin and French from Greek asbestos, 'unquenchable' or 'inextinguishable,' formed from a-, 'not,' + sbennynai, 'to quench.' The name reflects the minerals' resistance to fire, a property that led to extensive use before the grave health risks of inhaled fibres were understood.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images