blacktop
UK[ˈblæktɒp]US[ˈblæktɑːp]
n
a dark-colored material (such as asphalt) used for surfacing roads, driveways, or other areas
v
to surface (an area) with blacktop
Morpheme Breakdown
black
top
black
top
Etymology
the word 'blacktop' is a transparent english compound, formed in the 20th century from the adjective 'black' and the noun 'top'. it is a descriptive term for the surfacing material, referring literally to the dark-colored layer that forms the top surface of a road or pavement. the logic is directly visual and functional: the material is black and it constitutes the top layer. this modern compound follows a long-standing germanic pattern of creating new words by combining existing elements to name novel inventions or materials.
Analysis
Structure: black + top
black (from old english 'blæc', meaning of the darkest color, lacking light; functions as a descriptive adjective in the compound). top (from old english 'topp', meaning the highest part or surface; functions as a noun indicating the surface layer).
Examples
the city council approved funds to repave the parking lot with fresh blacktop.
the summer heat made the blacktop on the highway soft and sticky.
they plan to blacktop the long driveway next week.