magma
magma Lexical Profile
magma Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Hot fluid or semi-fluid material below or within the crust of the Earth or other planets, from which igneous rock is formed by cooling.
"As tectonic plates shift, highly pressurized magma can force its way upward and trigger a volcanic eruption."
A suspension of a large amount of solid matter in a small volume of liquid, forming a pasty mass, traditionally used in pharmacy or chemistry.
"The pharmacist prepared a bismuth magma to act as a soothing digestive agent."
Word Nuance & Usage
A common point of confusion is the distinction between 'magma' and 'lava'; 'magma' refers strictly to molten rock located underground, whereas it becomes 'lava' only after it erupts onto the Earth's surface.
• Rhymes for magma
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Late Middle English (originally used in pharmacy to denote a paste or thick suspension): via Latin from Greek 'magma' meaning 'thick unguent', from 'massein' (to knead). The modern geological sense of molten rock was adopted in the mid-19th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.