What is "asphalt"

Asphalt \As"phalt\, v. t. To cover with asphalt; as, to asphalt a roof; asphalted streets. [1913 Webster] ||

Asphalt \As"phalt\, Asphaltum \As*phal"tum\, n. [Gr. ?, of eastern origin: cf. F. asphalte.]

1. Mineral pitch, Jews' pitch, or compact native bitumen. It is brittle, of a black or brown color and high luster on a surface of fracture; it melts and burns when heated, leaving no residue. It occurs on the surface and shores of the Dead Sea, which is therefore called Asphaltites, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in many parts of Asia, Europe, and America. See Bitumen.

2. A composition of bitumen, pitch, lime, and gravel, used for forming pavements, and as a water-proof cement for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc.

   Asphalt stone, Asphalt rock, a limestone found impregnated with asphalt.

early 14c., "hard, resinous mineral pitch found originally in Biblical lands," from Late Latin asphaltum, from Greek asphaltos "asphalt, bitumen," probably from a non-Greek source, possibly Semitic [Klein, citing Lewy, 1895]. Another theory holds it to be from Greek a- "not" + *sphaltos "able to be thrown down," taken as verbal adjective of sphallein "to throw down," in reference to a use of the material in building.\n

\nMeaning "paving composition" dates from 1847 and its popular use in this sense established the modern form of the English word, displacing in most senses asphaltum, asphaltos. As a verb meaning "to cover with asphalt," from 1872. Related: Asphaltic.

n. 1 A sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid, composed almost entirely of bitumen, that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits. 2 asphalt concrete, a hard ground covering used for roads and walkways. vb. To pave with asphalt.

1. n. mixed asphalt and crushed gravel or sand; used especially for paving but also for roofing

2. a dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbons [syn: mineral pitch]

3. v. cover with tar or asphalt; "asphalt the driveway"

Asphalt (, , occasionally ), also known as bitumen (, ) is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product; it is a substance classed as a pitch. Until the 20th century, the term asphaltum was also used. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek ἄσφαλτος ásphaltos.

The primary use (70%) of asphalt/bitumen is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

The terms asphalt and bitumen are often used interchangeably to mean both natural and manufactured forms of the substance. In American English, asphalt (or asphalt cement) is the carefully refined residue from the distillation process of selected crude oils. Outside the United States, the product is often called bitumen. Geologists often prefer the term bitumen. Common usage often refers to various forms of asphalt/bitumen as " tar", such as at the La Brea Tar Pits. Another archaic term for asphalt/bitumen is "pitch".

Naturally occurring asphalt/bitumen is sometimes specified by the term "crude bitumen". Its viscosity is similar to that of cold molasses while the material obtained from the fractional distillation of crude oil boiling at is sometimes referred to as "refined bitumen". The Canadian province of Alberta has most of the world's reserves of natural bitumen, covering , an area larger than England.

Asphalt is a 1929 German silent film. The film was one of the last silent films released in Germany as the world was entering the era of sound film.

Asphalt ( 아스팔트) is a 1964 South Korean film directed by Kim Ki-young.

Asphalt is a dystopian novel of speculative fiction by Carl Hancock Rux published by Atria/Simon & Schuster in 2004.

Asphalt is a series of racing video games developed and published by Gameloft.

Asphalt is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums.

Asphalt may also refer to:

• Asphalt concrete or asphalt, a composite of the petroleum material with minerals, often used for surfacing
• Asphalt (1929 film), a German silent film by Joe May
• Asphalt (1964 film), a South Korean film by Kim Ki-young
• Asphalt (novel), an American novel by Carl Hancock Rux
• Asphalt (series), a racing game series produced by Gameloft
• Asphalt, Kentucky
• USS Asphalt (IX-153), a Trefoil-class concrete barge