noun
tarmac
TAH-mak
noun
1
A tar-based surfacing material used on roads, or the road surface itself.
"Fresh tarmac had just been laid on the high street."
2
The paved area of an airport where aircraft park or move around, apart from the runway.
"Passengers waited on the tarmac while the plane refuelled."
"Ground crew moved quickly across the tarmac to load the luggage."
verb
1
(of an aircraft) To sit on the ground, often on the taxiway, waiting for permission to take off.
"Their flight tarmacked for over an hour before departure."
How to Use Tarmac
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe paved surface of roads or airports, or, as a verb, to sit waiting on that surface before takeoff.
Common pairings
on the tarmac
tarmac road
tarmac delay
Word Forms
tarmacked past tense, tarmaced past tense, tarmacced past tense, tarmacs plural, tarmacs singular
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Etymology
Shortened from "tarmacadam" (tar + macadam, a road surface made of crushed stone); originally a trademark named after its inventor, Edgar Hooley.