Having the appearance, structure, or properties similar to or characteristic of asbestos, especially fibrous or thread-like in structure.
From 'asbestos' (the mineral) plus '-oid' (resembling) and '-al' (relating to). The term describes substances that look or behave like asbestos without necessarily being asbestos.
Asbestoidal materials were considered breakthroughs in manufacturing until we realized asbestos was killing workers—now scientists search desperately for asbestoidal substitutes that have asbestos's amazing heat and fire resistance without its catastrophic health effects.
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