2
: a thin pasty suspension (as of a precipitate in water)
3
: molten rock material within the earth from which igneous rock results by cooling
Examples of magma in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceious, southeastern China saw some intense tectonic activities that resulted in a lot of movement of magma below the Earth’s surface.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Sep. 2023
Like the other Hawaiian Islands, Loihi was created by a hot spot: a plume of magma welling beneath the seafloor and eventually bursting through.
—Susan Casey, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2023
Vents in the seafloor drain water to warm environments heated by magma.
—USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2023
But unlike Earth, the moon isn’t likely to have these pockets of magma still active underground.
—Lila Levinson, Dallas News, 21 Aug. 2023
Frigid water percolates through fissures in the splintering oceanic crust and meets the scalding magma below.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 9 Aug. 2023
The molten magma exploded underwater, vaporizing a huge volume of ocean water that erupted like a geyser high into the atmosphere.
—Michael Wysession, Fortune, 27 July 2023
Lastarria has not erupted since the 2019-20 sulfur flows, but the area around the volcano has been experiencing inflation until recently and the volcanic gases coming out have suggested more input of magma under the volcano.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2023
Oceanic magma is very different from continental magma.
—CBS News, 1 Dec. 2022
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Sep. 2023
Like the other Hawaiian Islands, Loihi was created by a hot spot: a plume of magma welling beneath the seafloor and eventually bursting through.
—Susan Casey, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2023
Vents in the seafloor drain water to warm environments heated by magma.
—USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2023
But unlike Earth, the moon isn’t likely to have these pockets of magma still active underground.
—Lila Levinson, Dallas News, 21 Aug. 2023
Frigid water percolates through fissures in the splintering oceanic crust and meets the scalding magma below.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 9 Aug. 2023
The molten magma exploded underwater, vaporizing a huge volume of ocean water that erupted like a geyser high into the atmosphere.
—Michael Wysession, Fortune, 27 July 2023
Lastarria has not erupted since the 2019-20 sulfur flows, but the area around the volcano has been experiencing inflation until recently and the volcanic gases coming out have suggested more input of magma under the volcano.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2023
Oceanic magma is very different from continental magma.
—CBS News, 1 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magma.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near magma
Cite this Entry
“Magma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magma. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
Medical Definition
magma
noun
mag·ma
ˈmag-mə 
1
: a crude mixture of mineral or organic matter in the state of a thin paste
2
: a suspension of a large amount of precipitated material (as in milk of magnesia) in a small volume of a watery vehicle
More from Merriam-Webster on magma
Nglish: Translation of magma for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magma
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