tarmac etymology

Etymology:

  • Tarmac is a proprietary brand name of Tarmacadam, a type of road surfacing material invented by John Loudon McAdam in the 19th century.
  • Tarmac was originally a shortened form of Tarmacadam.
  • Tarmacadam is a combination of two words:
    • "Tar," meaning a viscous, black substance derived from coal or wood
    • "Macadam," named after its inventor, John Loudon McAdam, a Scottish engineer who developed a method of road construction using layers of crushed stone.

Meaning:

  • A tarmac is a paved surface made of tar and crushed stone, commonly used for roads, airports, and parking lots.
  • As a brand name, Tarmac refers to the specific type of road surfacing material produced by the Tarmac company.

Origin:

  • John Loudon McAdam invented Tarmacadam in the early 19th century as an improvement to the traditional gravel roads of the time.
  • McAdam's method involved laying down layers of crushed stone of varying sizes, with a binding agent applied to fill in the gaps between the stones.
  • The name Tarmac originated in the late 19th century when the tar-based binding agent became widely used in road construction.
  • The Tarmac brand was established in 1903 when the Tarmacadam Syndicate Ltd. was formed to manufacture and sell Tarmacadam road surfacing.

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