U

bitumen

noun

any of various natural substances, as asphalt, maltha, or gilsonite, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons.
(formerly) an asphalt of Asia Minor used as cement and mortar.

noun

any of various viscous or solid impure mixtures of hydrocarbons that occur naturally in asphalt, tar, mineral waxes, etc: used as a road surfacing and roofing material
the constituents of coal that can be extracted by an organic solvent
any liquid suitable for coating aggregates
the bitumen
1. Australian and NZ informalany road with a bitumen surface
2. (capital) Australian informalthe road in the Northern Territory between Darwin and Alice Springs
a transparent brown pigment or glaze made from asphalt

mid-15c., from Latin bitumen “asphalt,” probably, via Oscan or Umbrian, from Celtic *betu- “birch, birch resin” (cf. Gaulish betulla “birch,” used by Pliny for the tree supposedly the source of bitumen).

Any of various flammable mixtures of hydrocarbons and other substances found in asphalt and tar. Bitumens occur naturally or are produced from petroleum and coal.