Any of various flammable mixtures of hydrocarbons and other substances, occurring naturally or obtained by distillation from coal or petroleum, that are a component of asphalt and tar and are used for surfacing roads and for waterproofing.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English bithumen, a mineral pitch from the Near East, from Latin bitmen, perhaps of Celtic origin.
b
-t
m
n, -ty
-
men, perhaps of Celtic origin.
(-m
