magma

noun

mag·​ma ˈmag-mə How to pronounce magma (audio)
1
archaic : dregs, sediment
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
magmatic adjective

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 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.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin magmat-, magma, from Greek, thick unguent, from massein to knead — more at mingle

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of magma was in the 15th century

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.

Kids Definition

magma

noun
mag·​ma ˈmag-mə How to pronounce magma (audio)
: molten rock material within the earth
magmatic adjective

Medical Definition

magma

noun
mag·​ma ˈmag-mə How to pronounce magma (audio)
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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!