lava lamp
noun
plural lava lamps
: a decorative lamp constructed of a transparent glass container filled with liquid and wax that is heated by an incandescent bulb which melts the wax and causes it to form random moving shapes within the liquid
Lava lamps are back—and not just among retro hipsters lounging on shag rugs and waterbeds.—
Richard A. Kerr
Richard A. KerrThe lava lamp on my son's bureau gives him a vantage point to ponder the colorful blobs rising and falling as their temperature and density change.—Benjamin A. Brooks
Benjamin A. BrooksExamples of lava lamp in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mathos, the lighting company Walker founded in 1963 to manufacture his creation, still makes lava lamps.
—Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
From throwback toys and board games to retro record players and quirky pop-culture finds like lava lamps, these timeless picks connect generations.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
The smaller coronae — those with a mean diameter of about 124 miles (200 km) — on the other hand, can be attributed to smaller hot upwellings in the mantle, like blobs of wax rising in a lava lamp.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The idea is similar to the process that unfolds inside a lava lamp.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
The electric blue theme continues with decorative abstract paintings resembling lava lamp patterns on the wall.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Multiple extraterrestrials appear inspired by a lava lamp.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Despite this profound lack of spelling prowess, the model did come up with numerous interesting examples of ketchup bottle context, including a ketchup bottle floating in a pool, a bottle that looks like a lava lamp, and a Heinz-like product enshrined in a stained glass window.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Both Meyers and Mork had fond memories of the giant lava lamp in Reubens’s house, though the two couldn’t agree on the size.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 May 2025
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Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
From throwback toys and board games to retro record players and quirky pop-culture finds like lava lamps, these timeless picks connect generations.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025
The smaller coronae — those with a mean diameter of about 124 miles (200 km) — on the other hand, can be attributed to smaller hot upwellings in the mantle, like blobs of wax rising in a lava lamp.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The idea is similar to the process that unfolds inside a lava lamp.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
The electric blue theme continues with decorative abstract paintings resembling lava lamp patterns on the wall.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Multiple extraterrestrials appear inspired by a lava lamp.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Despite this profound lack of spelling prowess, the model did come up with numerous interesting examples of ketchup bottle context, including a ketchup bottle floating in a pool, a bottle that looks like a lava lamp, and a Heinz-like product enshrined in a stained glass window.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Both Meyers and Mork had fond memories of the giant lava lamp in Reubens’s house, though the two couldn’t agree on the size.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lava lamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lava%20lamp. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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