Asbestos

az-best′os, n. an incombustible mineral, a variety of hornblende, of a fine fibrous texture, resembling flax: ( fig. ) anything unquenchable.— adjs. Asbes′tic , Asbes′to us , Asbes′tine , of or like asbestos: incombustible. [Gr.; (lit.) unquenchable— a , neg., sbestos , extinguished.]