1
a
: formed by solidification of magma
igneous rock
b
: relating to, resulting from, or suggestive of the intrusion or extrusion of magma or volcanic activity
2
: of, relating to, or resembling fire : fiery
Examples of igneous in a Sentence
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Olivine is a mineral primarily found in igneous rocks (rocks created through the solidification and crystallization of molten rock) that are rich in magnesium and iron.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Today’s rich variety of igneous rocks forms thanks to complex processes, including remelting, adsorption, and exchange of chemical elements, happening in Earth’s crust and driven by plate tectonics.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
In its own storied past, Earth experienced prolonged eruptions of lava in single regions, known as large igneous provinces (LIPs), that lasted for hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of years.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Whitehouse argues that these crystals formed in an igneous rock 2.8 billion years ago and then were eroded, washed into the sea, and settled in the silt.
—Howard Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2025
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Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
Today’s rich variety of igneous rocks forms thanks to complex processes, including remelting, adsorption, and exchange of chemical elements, happening in Earth’s crust and driven by plate tectonics.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
In its own storied past, Earth experienced prolonged eruptions of lava in single regions, known as large igneous provinces (LIPs), that lasted for hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of years.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Whitehouse argues that these crystals formed in an igneous rock 2.8 billion years ago and then were eroded, washed into the sea, and settled in the silt.
—Howard Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for igneous
Cite this Entry
“Igneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/igneous. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
igneous
adjective
ig·ne·ous
ˈig-nē-əs 
: formed by hardening of melted earth
igneous rock
compare metamorphic, sedimentary sense 2
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