Cement
/sɪˈmɛnt/noun
A powdery substance made from calcined lime and clay, used in construction to bind materials together.
Did you know?In ancient Rome, the term for cement was "caementum", referring to crushed stone, which was believed to hold mystical properties for uniting structures—both physical and spiritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kaǵ-
“to bind, to fasten, linked to the concept of unity.”
Latin
Latin
caementum
“crushed stone or quarry stone, used in construction and symbolic of strength.”
Old French
Old French
ciment
“material for binding stones, stemming from Latin roots indicating binding.”
Middle English
Middle English
ciment
“substance used to bind, derived from Old French.”
Modern English
English
cement
“a material for binding, retaining the ancient essence of unification.”