laitance

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noun

A weak, milky layer of cement and aggregate fines on a concrete surface that is usually caused by an overwet mixture, overworking the mixture, improper or excessive finishing or combination thereof. Also, could be caused when a slurry mix is used on a deep foundation, where the slurry mix is not completely removed before placing concrete on top.

OriginFrench laitance →
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Meanings

nounlaitance (plural laitances)

plural laitances

  1. businessA weak, milky layer of cement and aggregate fines on a concrete surface that is usually caused by an overwet mixture, overworking the mixture, improper or excessive finishing or combination thereof. Also, could be caused when a slurry mix is used on a deep foundation, where the slurry mix is not completely removed before placing concrete on top.
  2. businessThe weak top layer of cement and aggregate fines on a concrete surface that stands between a topical coating and the underlying substrate. This laitance layer prevents a bond forming between the topical coating and substrate, whereby it causes delamination of the topical coating as the laitance layer fails first.

Origin

  1. Frenchlaitance
  2. Englishlaitance

From French laitance.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

AlicanteanalciteAnticlea
Cite this entry
APA

laitance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laitance

MLA

“laitance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laitance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “laitance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laitance.

Source: laitance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.