tarmac Definition
a type of road surface made of tar and small stones, or the area of land where planes take off and land at an airport.
Using tarmac: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "tarmac" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The plane taxied along the tarmac.
Example
The tarmac was slippery after the rain.
Example
The workers were laying down fresh tarmac on the road.
tarmac Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with tarmac
refers to a plane that is on the ground, usually waiting for passengers to board or disembark
Example
The passengers were stuck on the tarmac for two hours due to a mechanical issue.
Example
The airline was fined for exceeding the maximum tarmac time allowed by regulations.
a situation where a plane is delayed on the ground for an extended period of time, typically more than three hours
Example
The passengers were compensated for the tarmac delay caused by the severe weather conditions.
Origins of tarmac
shortened from tarmacadam, from John McAdam, Scottish engineer who invented it
Summary: tarmac in Brief
'Tarmac' [ˈtɑːmæk] refers to a type of road surface made of tar and small stones, or the area of land where planes take off and land at an airport. It is often used in phrases like 'on the tarmac,' referring to a plane on the ground, and 'tarmac time,' which is the amount of time a plane spends on the ground before taking off or after landing.
