asphalt vs bitumen

asphalt

noun
  • A sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid, composed almost entirely of bitumen, that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits. 

verb
  • To pave with asphalt. 

bitumen

noun
  • A sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum, burning with a bright flame. It occurs as an abundant natural product in many places, as on the shores of the Dead and Caspian Seas. It is used in cements, in the construction of pavements, etc.; Mineral pitch. 

  • Any one of the natural hydrocarbons, including the hard, solid, brittle varieties called asphalt, the semisolid maltha and mineral tars, the oily petrolea, and even the light, volatile naphthas. 

  • Roads sealed with bitumen, as opposed to dirt roads. 

  • Canadian deposits of extremely heavy crude oil. 

verb
  • To cover or fill with bitumen. 

How often have the words asphalt and bitumen occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )