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 The depth of the magma, around four kilometers (2.5 miles), means an eruption could take place within hours, volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson told RÚV. Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 Earthquakes can give you an idea of just how deep the magma might be. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 At the time, the office said there had been over 700 earthquakes detected in the region of magma intrusion, the biggest of which was a 2.7-magnitude tremor in the mountainous area of Hagafell, which is just north of Grindavik. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2023 Most oceanic islands are volcanic, formed by magma that wells up as tectonic plates drift over hot spots in the Earth’s mantle. Frank Hulley-Jones, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Swaths of the ground also began to deform, a telltale sign that magma was building underground. Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Feb. 2024 The magma that left the sill had moved sideways before shimmying upward directly below Grindavík. Robin George Andrews, Quanta Magazine, 20 Feb. 2024 In March 2021 magma found an escape route in an uninhabited valley adjacent to a small mountain named Fagradalsfjall, about 10 kilometers northeast of Grindavík. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024 Despite downgrading the volcanic system’s threat level, the local authorities have warned of further eruptions as land continued to rise in the area due to magma accumulating underground. Reuters, CNN, 8 Feb. 2024

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 19 Mar. 2024.

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!