The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CONCRETE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
C
O
N
C
R
E
T
E
More clues leading to the result CONCRETE
- Material giving firm centre when poured
- Short story includes chapter on setter
- Building material firm, new, supported by Greek island
- Specific study introducing Greek island
- Solid, head of clan on Greek island
- Firm in the past briefly occupying island
- Building material — cement, originally, on Greek island
- Real cold on Mediterranean island
- Definite fraud on island
- Able to be experienced by prisoner on island
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Material" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case material = concrete.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CONCRETE mean?
CONCRETE noun- A solid mass formed by the coalescence of separate particles; a compound substance, a concretion.
- Specifically, a building material created by mixing cement, water, and aggregate such as gravel and sand.
- A term designating both a quality and the subject in which it exists; a concrete term.
- Sugar boiled down from cane juice to a solid mass.
- A dessert of frozen custard with various toppings.
- An extract of herbal materials that has a semi-solid consistency, especially when such materials are partly aromatic.
- (usually transitive) To cover with or encase in concrete (building material).
- (usually transitive) To solidify: to change from being abstract to being concrete (actual, real).
- To unite or coalesce into a mass or a solid body.
- Real, actual, tangible.
- Being or applying to actual things, not abstract qualities or categories.
- Particular, specific, rather than general.
- United by coalescence of separate particles, or liquid, into one mass or solid.
- (modifying a noun) Made of concrete, a building material.