asbestos

IPA/æsˈbestɒs/
KK[æsbˈɛstəs]IPA/æzˈbestəs/

asbestos — noun

1. a soft, pale mineral material once put into walls, roofs, and protective clothin

1.nounC2
Definition

a soft, pale mineral material once put into walls, roofs, and protective clothing to resist fire and keep heat in, but breathing its tiny fibers can seriously damage the lungs

Example

Workers found asbestos above the old school ceiling during repairs.

find asbestos during repairs

The city closed the gym after broken pipe covers released asbestos dust.

collocation: asbestos dust

Common collocations
  • asbestos dust
  • asbestos fibers
  • asbestos roof
  • asbestos removal
  • asbestos exposure
Synonyms
  • insulation

    a broader word for material used to keep heat in or out, not this specific dangerous mineral

  • fireproofing

    names the protective function rather than the exact substance

  • mineral fiber

    a technical description that can include asbestos but is less specific

Grammar Patterns

contain asbestos

remove asbestos

be exposed to asbestos

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Common with verbs such as contain, remove, and expose, especially when old buildings or pipe coverings may release dangerous dust.

Common Mistakes

They found an asbestos behind the heater.
They found asbestos behind the heater.
asbestos is normally uncountable when you mean the material.

Word family

  • asbestosis
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For this sense, asbestos is a specific older mineral material once used in buildings because it resisted heat and fire. Insulation is much broader: it can mean any material that keeps heat in or out, including safer modern products. Fiberglass and mineral wool are both common substitutes, but they do not mean asbestos itself. Use asbestos when the exact substance matters, especially in safety, repair, or health contexts. A report may say that a ceiling contains asbestos, while a builder may simply talk about replacing the old insulation. If a house has fiberglass in the attic, that does not mean it has asbestos.

asbestos ↗insulation ↗fiberglass ↗mineral wool

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • contain asbestos
  • remove asbestos
  • be exposed to asbestos

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Asbestos came into English from Latin, which took it from Greek. In Greek, the word meant something like "not able to be put out," which fits a material known for resisting fire.