HOW TO PRONOUNCE
asbestos
/æsˈbɛstəs/
Press play to hear how to pronounce asbestos.
American Pronunciation Guide · 1:21
Watch on YouTube ↗
Watch on YouTube ↗
LISTEN FOR THIS
Give “bes” the strongest beat.
Use three syllables and an unvoiced s in each position. Keep the opening vowel lighter and let the middle short e carry the stress before the light final syllable.
3 syllables · Stress on syllable 2
TRY SAYING
“The report includes a section on asbestos.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗What does asbestos mean?
noun
- 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.
- Any of asbestos-like forms of several minerals, asbestiforms
- The supposed material composing part of the body that is impervious to heat, or by extension other unpleasant sensations; especially hot or spicy food.
More meanings (6)
verb
- To coat or line with asbestos.
- To expose to asbestos; to cause to suffer asbestosis.
- (figuratively) To insulate or buffer.
proper noun
- Former name of Val des Sources: a town in Asbestos, Estrie, Quebec, Canada.
- Former name of Les Sources: a regional county municipality of Eastern Townships, Quebec, Canada.
- Alternative spelling of Asbest; A town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Ural, Russia.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/æsˈbɛstəs/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
A sheath of this kind lined with asbestos might easily have served as a protection against the red-hot blade.
I had brought over a few curiosities, among which the principal was a purse made of the asbestos, which purifies by fire.
More book examples (3)
Place this over a flame with asbestos paper interposed, and melt it slowly.
As for paper, there is everything in white and colored, from thinnest tissue up to the heaviest asbestos, even a few newspapers being always on hand.
I wonder what is the object of an asbestos stove?