tarmac

1 of 2

noun

tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a tarmacadam road, apron, or runway

Tarmac

2 of 2

trademark

used for a bituminous binder for roads

Examples of tarmac in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Brisbane, Australia — Five Australian women have won the right to sue Qatar Airways for forcing them to undergo invasive physical examinations on a Doha airport tarmac in 2020 after a federal court upheld their appeal. Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025 Long Beach Airport Travelers love the historic 1941 terminal and its mosaic, which features 1.5 million tiles An outdoor tarmac to get to and from your flight 1. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2025 Al Udeid cleared its tarmacs Last week, ahead of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Al Udeid saw many of the transport planes, fighter jets and drones typically on its tarmac dispersed. Meg Kinnard, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 Other detainees were also slated to be removed from the facility as well, including at least one individual who had been brought onto a tarmac with Sakeik in June, according to court documents. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for tarmac

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Tarmac, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tarmac was in 1919

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tarmac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarmac. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

tarmac

noun
tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a road, apron, or runway paved with layers of crushed stone covered with tar

More from Merriam-Webster on tarmac

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