magma

noun

mag·​ma ˈmag-mə 

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

mag-ˈma-tik 

adjective

Examples of magma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Readings taken from these seismograph stations after earthquakes have helped scientists map Yellowstone’s magma chamber in the past, albeit blurrily, leaving the precise limits of the magma chamber unknown. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has detected gradual and consistent ground inflation, a sign of potential magma accumulation beneath the surface. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025

But there is no evidence for large-scale magma seas in Earth's history. —Paul Sutter, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2025

If the magma stalls and does not reach the surface, the unrest could instead decrease over the next weeks and months, similar to events from 2004 to 2006, researchers said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025

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

Kids Definition

magma

noun

mag·​ma ˈmag-mə 

: molten rock material within the earth

magmatic

mag-ˈmat-ik 

adjective

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