Macadam

Pronunciation

RP IPA: /mÉ™ËˆkÃ¦dÉ™m/

Origin

Named after John Loudon McAdam, who invented the process of macadamization.

Used for describing road surfaces originally constructed using the McAdam method, but now sometimes used for any road or street.

Full definition of macadam

Noun

macadam

(countable and uncountable; plural macadams)

(uncountable) The surface of a road consisting of layers of crushed stone (usually tar-coated for modern traffic).
(US, dated, countable) Any road or street

Related terms

(materials) asphalt, brick, cobbles, gravel, tar
(features and construction techniques) crown, crowning, dusting, paving, rolled, subgrade
(equipment and tools) bulldozer, dump truck, grader, pan, roller, sheepfooter, steamroller
(road surface types) cobblestone, dirt, gravel, hardtop, tarmac, tarmacadam
(vias) highway, road, street