Relating to or containing asbestos, a heat-resistant mineral fiber that was once commonly used in building materials but is now known to be dangerous to human health.
From asbestos (from Greek asbestos meaning 'inextinguishable') plus the suffix -ous meaning 'full of' or 'having the quality of.' The word emerged in the 19th century as chemists and builders described materials containing asbestos fibers.
Asbestos comes from a Greek word meaning 'unquenchable' because ancient people saw it wouldn't burn in fire, and they thought it was almost magical—but now we know those same fibers that survive fire can get stuck in your lungs and cause serious diseases.
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