Maria

¹

[ muh-ree-uh ]

noun

1. calaba.

Maria

²

[ muh-ree-uh, -rahy-uh; Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish mah-ree-ah ]

noun

1. a female given name, form of Mary.

maria

/ ˈmɑːrɪə /

noun

1. the plural of mare 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of Maria¹

Shortening of Santa Maria ( def ).

Example Sentences

It has a thicker crust, more craters and fewer maria, or plains where lava once flowed.

From New York Times

The near side is paved by “maria”—smooth, sealike lava flows—and its crust is estimated to be 30 to 40 kilometers thick.

From Science Magazine

Provided clear skies, binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, Espenak said, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.

From Seattle Times

It is “the youngest mare basalt on the Moon,” says Xiao Long, a planetary geoscientist at the China University of Geosciences, referring to the dark lava also seen in the Moon’s maria, or seas.

From Science Magazine

Only 1 percent of the far side was covered with maria compared to about 31 percent of the near side, researchers explained.

From Fox News