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

Scientists used a combination of data to peer through the volcano, including seismic monitoring that tracked how fast the rumbles caused by the moving magma travel through different kinds of rock. —Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 1 May 2025

Previous studies suggested the top of Yellowstone’s magma system could lie anywhere from 3 to 8 kilometers deep. —David Bressan, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

The bubbles are formed as the magma rises and decompresses, causing gases like water and carbon dioxide to separate from the melt. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025

Observers use a variety of geophysical, chemical, and biological sensors, as well as a still and video cameras to watch for signs of magma flow. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Jan. 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