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View synonyms for lava

lava

[ lah-vuh, lav-uh ]

noun

  1. the molten, fluid rock that issues from a volcano or volcanic vent.
  2. the rock formed when this solidifies, occurring in many varieties differing greatly in structure and constitution.


lava

/ ˈlɑːvə /

noun

  1. magma emanating from volcanoes and other vents
  2. any extrusive igneous rock formed by the cooling and solidification of molten lava
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lava

/ /

  1. Molten rock that flows from a volcano or from a crack in the Earth. Most lava flows at a rate of a few kilometers per hour, but rates as high as 60 km (37 mi) per hour have been observed. Lava that contains abundant iron- and magnesium-rich components usually erupts with temperatures between 1,000°C and 1,200°C (1,832deg;F and 2,192°F). Lava that contains abundant silica- and feldspar-rich components usually erupts with temperatures between 800°C and 1,000°C (1,472deg;F and 1,832°F).
  2. Compare magma
  3. The igneous rock formed when this substance cools and hardens. Depending on its composition and the rate at which it cools, lava can be glassy, very finely grained, ropelike, or coarsely grained. When it cools underwater, it cools in pillow-shaped masses.
  4. See also aa

lava

  1. A type of igneous rock that is formed when molten magma from a volcano hardens.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lava1

1740–50; < Italian, originally Neapolitan dialect: avalanche < Latin lābēs a sliding down, falling, akin to lābī to slide
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lava1

C18: from Italian (Neapolitan dialect), from Latin lavāre to wash
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Example Sentences

A spokesperson from Indonesia's disaster agency warned of potential flash floods and cold lava flows in the coming days.

From BBC

The tablet is propped up in a cozy-looking bedroom next to a lava lamp, a mascara tube and a framed portrait of the girl and her dog.

But unlike lava on the surface, we don’t know very much about the magma below ground, explains Prof Lavelle.

From BBC

Surely I was in for many nights of taking in the wonder of a rapidly shimmering ectoplasm-green alien lava lamp.

From Slate

Towering over dark, mossy lava fields are stacks of noisy machines the size of shipping containers, domes, and zig-zagging silver pipes.

From BBC

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