Etymology

macadam

M3A1C3A1D2A1M3

Today it means: The surface of a road consisting of layers of crushed stone (usually tar-coated for modern traffic). Full definition →

Scottish Gaelic Mac Àdhaimh ← Old Irish Ádam ← Latin Ādām
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macadam · noun, verb1

Named after Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam (1756–1836), who invented the process of macadamization. Used for describing road surfaces originally constructed using the McAdam method, but now sometimes used for any road or street.

MacAdam · proper noun2

  1. Proto-Celtic*makkʷos
  2. Old Irishmacc
  3. Middle Irishmac
  4. Scottish Gaelicmac
  5. Proto-Semitic*ʔadam-
  6. Hebrewאָדָם
  7. Ancient GreekἈδάμ (Adám)
  8. LatinĀdām
  9. Old IrishÁdam
  10. Scottish GaelicÀdhamh
  11. Scottish GaelicMac Àdhaimh
  12. English todayMacAdam

Derived from Scottish Gaelic Mac Àdhaimh (“Adam's son”).

Words from the same roots

Scottish GaelicMac Àdhaimh all →

macadamia

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.