cement

1 of 2

noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

 also  ˈsē-ment

1

a

: concrete

b

: a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a kiln and finely pulverized and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete

also : any mixture used for a similar purpose

2

: a binding element or agency: such as

a

: a substance to make objects adhere to each other

b

: something serving to unite firmly

justice is the cement that holds a political community together

—R. M. Hutchins

3

: cementum

4

: a plastic composition made especially of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities

5

: the fine-grained groundmass or glass of a porphyry

cement

2 of 2

verb

cemented; cementing; cements

transitive verb

1

: to unite or make firm by or as if by cement

Pebbles were cemented together by clay.

has cemented his role as a leader on the team

—T. W. Smith

2

: to overlay with concrete

cemented the cellar floor

intransitive verb

: to become cemented

cementer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• adhesive
• bond
• glue
• size

Examples of cement in a Sentence

Noun

There is a layer of cement under the bricks.

what kind of cement works best on glass and pottery?

Verb

A win would cement her reputation as a strong competitor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Image The Cement Garden By Ian McEwan The premise alone is goose bumps grim: After the death of their mother, four children decide to hide her body in a trunk of cement in their basement and fend for themselves rather than surrender to social workers and foster care. —M.l. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

The protesters also claimed to have clogged the toilets with cement. —Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2025

Verb

More News: Kyle Larson Worries for Daytona 500: 'Kind of a Crapshoot' For Toyota, a win at the Daytona 500 would cement their progress in the Cup Series. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025

Brody has already cemented his status as an Oscar frontrunner this year after taking home wins at the Golden Globes in January and the Critics Choice Awards last week. —Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sement, from Anglo-French ciment, from Latin caementum stone chips used in making mortar, from caedere to cut

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing cement

• cement mixer
• ferro-cement
• portland cement
• rubber cement

Kids Definition

cement

1 of 2 noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

1

a

: concrete

b

: a fine powder that is produced from a burned mixture chiefly of clay and limestone and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete

2

a

: a binding element or substance

b

: an adhesive substance

3

a

: cementum

b

: a material for filling cavities in teeth

cement

2 of 2 verb

1

: to unite by or as if by cement

cemented their friendship

2

: to cover with concrete

cementer noun

Medical Definition

cement

noun

ce·​ment si-ˈment 

1

: cementum

2

: a plastic composition made especially of zinc or silica for filling dental cavities