Cement is a word with several meaningsdifferent senses or interpretations of a word or phrase. Most often, it refers to a building material used to make concretehard material made by mixing cement, sand, water, and gravel and mortar. It can also be a verb meaning to join, secure, or make something stronger, and in dentistrythe branch of medicine that deals with teeth and mouth care it names a material or substance used in and around teeth.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /sə-MENT/
Easy pronunciation: suh-MENT (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress is on the second syllable.
Primary sense: noun meaning the powder used to make concrete and mortar.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cement Meaning
the powder used to make concrete and mortar
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a building material made from a powder of limestone and clay, used with water and sand or gravel to make concrete and mortar
Example: The workers mixed cement with sand and water.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Cement
Meaning 2
concrete or a concrete surface
Part of speech: noun
Definition: concrete pavement is sometimes referred to as cement
Example: They stood on the grey cement beside the pool.
Meaning 3
the hard covering on a tooth root
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a specialized bony substance covering the root of a tooth
Example: The dentist checked the tooth cement.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- cementum — Technical anatomical term for this tooth-root substance.
Meaning 4
a dental filling material
Part of speech: noun
Definition: any of various materials used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth
Example: The dentist used a tooth cement to seal the cavity.
Meaning 5
a hardening glue-like substance
Part of speech: noun
Definition: something that hardens to act as adhesive material
Example: The cement had set firmly.
Meaning 6
to stick or join together firmly
Part of speech: verb
Definition: bind or join with or as if with cement
Example: The concrete helped cement the stones in place.
Meaning 7
to apply cement to a surface
Part of speech: verb
Definition: cover or coat with cement
Example: They cemented the wall before painting it.
Meaning 8
to strengthen or secure something firmly
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make fast as if with cement
Example: Working together cemented their friendship.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cement Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- cementum
the dental substance on a tooth root
- cementum
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use cement to mean concrete, but in careful usage cement is the powder ingredient and concrete is the finished material.
- The verb cement can mean to strengthen a relationship or agreement; it does not usually mean simply to glue something in an ordinary way.
- In dentistry, cement and cementum are different words: cementum is the tooth-root substance, while dental cement is a filling or sealing material.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does cement mean in simple English?
Cement usually means a powder used to make concrete and mortar. It can also mean to join or strengthen something firmly, and it has a few technical dental meanings.
What is the difference between cement and concrete?
Cement is the powder ingredient. Concrete is made by mixing cement with water, sand, and gravel.
Can cement be a verb?
Yes. As a verb, cement means to join, secure, or strengthen something firmly.
Is cementum the same as cement?
No. Cementum is the technical term for the hard substance covering the root of a tooth. It is related to cement, but it is a separate word.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.