ASBESTOS

asbestos

(noun) a fibrous amphibole; used for making fireproof articles; inhaling fibers can cause asbestosis or lung cancer

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

asbestos (countable and uncountable, plural asbestoses)

(mineral) Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate, used for fireproofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings, chemical filters, suits, fireman's gloves, etc.

(mineral) Any of asbestos-like forms of several minerals, asbestiforms

Hyponyms

• (forms of magnesium silicate): serpentine: parachrysotile, amianthus, common asbestos, chrysotile

amphibole: blue asbestos, crocidolite, riebeckite; amosite, brown asbestos; crocidolite; tremolite/tremolite asbestos; actinolite/actinolite asbestos; anthophyllite/anthophyllite asbestos

• (asbestiform): richterite, winchite

Coordinate terms

• amianthus (a type of asbestos)

Source: Wiktionary

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As*bes"tus, As*bes"tos, n. Etym: [L. asbestos (NL. asbestus) a kind of mineral unaffected by fire, Gr. (Min.)

Definition: A variety of amphibole or of pyroxene, occurring in long and delicate fibers, or in fibrous masses or seams, usually of a white, gray, or green-gray color. The name is also given to a similar variety of serpentine.

Note: The finer varieties have been wrought into gloves and cloth which are incombustible. The cloth was formerly used as a shroud for dead bodies, and has been recommended for firemen's clothes. Asbestus in also employed in the manufacture of iron safes, for fireproof roofing, and for lampwicks. Some varieties are called amianthus. Dana.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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