cement
n. uncountablen. a grey powder that becomes hard like stone when you mix it with water. It is the main ingredient used to make concrete for buildings and roads.
n. a powdery substance made by calcining lime and clay, mixed with water to form a binding agent for sand and gravel. In its anatomical sense, it refers to the thin layer of bony tissue covering the root of a tooth.
The workers mixed the cement before starting on the wall.
The construction crew poured fresh cement into the wooden frames to create the foundation for the new house.
While the structural integrity of the bridge relies on reinforced concrete, the quality of the cement itself determines how well the structure resists moisture over several decades.
From Middle English syment, cyment, from Old French ciment, from Latin caementum (“quarry stone; stone chips for making mortar”), from caedō (“to cut, hew”). Doublet of cementum.
Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to specific types or brands of the substance.