Engineering English
Cement
Civil Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A fine mineral powder, usually produced by heating limestone and clay, that hardens when mixed with water and binds aggregates together in concrete and mortar.
Example in context
“The crew stored the cement bags on wooden pallets to keep them dry before mixing the concrete for the footings.”
“Ekip, temel pabuçlarının betonunu karıştırmadan önce çimento torbalarını kuru kalmaları için ahşap paletler üzerinde depoladı.”
Where engineers use it
Encountered in every concrete and masonry operation, from batching plants to site mixing; engineers specify cement type and content to control the strength, setting time, and durability of structures.
Practice: can you use “Cement” at work?
A client asks why the site stores cement bags off the ground under cover. Explain how moisture affects cement and what improper storage would do to concrete quality.
Show a model answer
“Cement reacts with water to bind the aggregates into hardened concrete.”
“Cement” in 21 languages
| English | Cement |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Çimento |
| French | Ciment |
| German | Zement |
| Spanish | Cemento |
| Chinese | 水泥 |
| Arabic | أسمنت |
| Portuguese | Cimento |
| Russian | Цемент |
| Japanese | セメント |
| Italian | Cemento |
| Vietnamese | Xi măng |
| Hindi | सीमेंट |
| Thai | ปูนซีเมนต์ |
| Indonesian | Semen |
| Korean | 시멘트 |
| Bengali | সিমেন্ট |
| Dutch | Cement |
| Swedish | Cement |
| Finnish | Sementti |
| Ukrainian | Цемент |
Frequently asked questions
What does Cement mean in engineering?
A fine mineral powder, usually produced by heating limestone and clay, that hardens when mixed with water and binds aggregates together in concrete and mortar. In Civil Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Cement?
Cement is pronounced /sɪˈmɛnt/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Cement used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The crew stored the cement bags on wooden pallets to keep them dry before mixing the concrete for the footings.”
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