What does tarmac mean?
Tarmac is a dark paving material made from crushed stone bound together with tar or bitumen. It is also used by extension for the finished road, runway, or other surface, especially at an airport. The word is particularly familiar in British English and is common in American English as well, although more technical contexts may prefer “asphalt” or “pavement.” People encounter it both physically, as in a road surface or airport apron, and figuratively in expressions such as “on the tarmac,” meaning outside an aircraft or terminal. Its distinctive history reflects its name: “tarmac” is a blend of “tar” and “macadam,” the latter referring to the paving method developed by the Scottish road builder John Loudon McAdam. Although once associated primarily with British roadmaking, the term became internationally familiar through aviation and modern infrastructure.
A dark, tar-based paving material made from crushed stone bound with tar or bitumen; by extension, a paved surface made with this material.
"A layer of tarmac covered the old road surface."
Usually used as an uncountable noun for the material, and as a countable noun for a particular paved surface in phrases such as “on the tarmac.”
To pave or resurface a road or other area with tarmac.
"The crew will tarmac the car park at the end of the week."
This is a specialized practical verb, used especially in roadwork and construction contexts.
The plural is rare; the material is normally treated as uncountable.
"The airport maintains several old tarmacs for general aviation aircraft."
Tarmac was born from a blend of tar and macadam, turning a road-building method into a word heard wherever aircraft line up for takeoff.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tarmac come from?
“Tarmac” is an English blend of “tar” and “macadam,” combining the name of the binding material with the name of the roadmaking process. “Macadam” derives from the surname of John Loudon McAdam, whose method involved laying crushed stone in layers and compressing it with heavy rollers. The blended word developed in the early twentieth century and spread from roadmaking into wider British usage, including the language of aviation.
How tarmac is actually used
Tarmac is especially associated with British English, though it is also widely understood in American English and other English-speaking countries. In airport contexts, “on the tarmac” refers to the paved area outside the terminal where aircraft and passengers move. The word can sound more informal or conversational than the more technical terms “asphalt” or “pavement.”
Easily confused with tarmac
Tarmac commonly names a particular tar- or bitumen-based paving material and, by extension, the surface made from it, whereas asphalt is the broader term for bituminous paving material.