tarmac

1 of 2

noun

tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak 

: a tarmacadam road, apron, or runway

Tarmac

2 of 2

trademark

—used for a bituminous binder for roads

Examples of tarmac in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The contrast to the White House’s treatment of a key ally, Japan — whose leader arrived on an empty tarmac then faced pressure over her country’s currency — was stark. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026

The last president to make the gesture was Barack Obama, who greeted then-Pope Francis on the Andrews tarmac 11 years ago this week. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026

Offering services around the world, Welcome Wings removes chaos from the airport experience, with individualized itineraries, private tarmac transfers, exclusive lounge accommodations, and semi-private customs access. — Air Mail, 15 Aug. 2026

The season 4 premiere also features dialogue at Gates Bar-B-Q and the airport tarmac that nods to the classic romantic drama. — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Tarmac, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tarmac

• the tarmac

Rhymes for tarmac

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback

Kids Definition

tarmac

noun

tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak 

: a road, apron, or runway paved with layers of crushed stone covered with tar