asbestos cement: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical, historical, construction, regulatory
Quick answer
What does “asbestos cement” mean?
A composite building material made by reinforcing cement with asbestos fibres, providing strength, durability, and fire resistance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A composite building material made by reinforcing cement with asbestos fibres, providing strength, durability, and fire resistance.
Specifically refers to a range of construction products (e.g., pipes, sheets, panels) manufactured from this composite material, widely used in 20th-century construction before health hazards were fully understood.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and terminology are identical. The regulatory history and timing of bans/phase-outs differ slightly between jurisdictions.
Connotations
Both carry strong negative connotations related to health hazards, but in the UK, it is often specifically associated with post-war housing and public buildings (e.g., schools, system-built flats). In the US, it is strongly associated with litigation and industrial applications.
Frequency
Similar frequency in technical, legal, and public health contexts. In everyday language, it is a low-frequency term unless discussing building safety or renovation.
Grammar
How to Use “asbestos cement” in a Sentence
[verb] + asbestos cement (e.g., remove, contain, manufacture)asbestos cement + [noun] (e.g., pipe, sheet, panel)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “asbestos cement” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb usage]
American English
- [No standard verb usage]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb usage]
American English
- [No standard adverb usage]
adjective
British English
- The asbestos-cement roof needed specialist removal.
American English
- The asbestos-cement pipes were marked for replacement.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In the context of property surveys, liability assessments, and remediation contracts.
Academic
Used in papers on public health history, industrial archaeology, and material science.
Everyday
Mostly encountered in discussions about home renovation risks or historical building materials.
Technical
Precise term in construction, environmental health, and hazardous material handling guidelines.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “asbestos cement”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “asbestos cement”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “asbestos cement”
- Incorrectly using 'asbestos cement' as a verb (e.g., 'They asbestos cemented the roof').
- Confusing it with 'asbestos' alone (asbestos cement is a specific product).
- Misspelling as 'asbesto cement'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Intact, undisturbed asbestos cement is considered lower risk. Danger arises when it is damaged, cut, or drilled, releasing airborne asbestos fibres.
Its peak use was from the early 1900s until the 1980s, when health regulations severely restricted or banned its use in many countries.
No. In most jurisdictions, removal must be performed by licensed professionals following strict safety and disposal protocols to prevent contamination.
It was largely replaced by fibre-cement products using safer reinforcing fibres like cellulose, glass, or synthetic fibres.
A composite building material made by reinforcing cement with asbestos fibres, providing strength, durability, and fire resistance.
Asbestos cement is usually technical, historical, construction, regulatory in register.
Asbestos cement: in British English it is pronounced /æsˈbɛstəs sɪˈmɛnt/, and in American English it is pronounced /æsˈbɛstəs səˈmɛnt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this compound noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Cement ASBESTOS its strength from dangerous fibres.' (A pun on 'absorbs its').
Conceptual Metaphor
A DANGEROUS LEGACY (conceptualising it as a physically durable but socially/historically toxic inheritance).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'asbestos cement' MOST likely used today?