\Bi*tu"mi*nous\, a. [L. bituminosus: cf. F. bitumineux.] Having the qualities of bitumen; compounded with bitumen; containing bitumen. Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed. --Milton. {Bituminous coal}, a kind of coal which yields, when heated, a considerable amount of volatile bituminous matter. It burns with a yellow smoky flame. {Bituminous limestone}, a mineral of a brown or black color, emitting an unpleasant smell when rubbed. That of Dalmatia is so charged with bitumen that it may be cut like soap. {Bituminous shale}, an argillaceous shale impregnated with bitumen, often accompanying coal.