magma
MAG-muh
/ˈmæɡ.mə/
Hot fluid or semi-fluid material below or within the Earth's crust, from which lava and other igneous rock is formed by cooling.
Magma is underground; once it erupts onto the Earth's surface, it is called lava.
The story behind the word. The word stems from Ancient Greek 'magma', meaning a kneaded paste or thick unguent, from 'massein' (to knead). Early naturalists used it to describe the thick, paste-like consistency of underground molten rock.
Word relationships
- molten rock: Molten rock is an everyday descriptive phrase, whereas magma is the precise geological term for subterranean liquid rock.
- lava: Lava is molten rock above ground, whereas magma is molten rock below ground.
- solid rock: Solid rock is rigid and cool, whereas magma is fluid and intensely hot.
Commonly confused with
- lava: Magma is inside the Earth's surface; lava is magma that has breached the surface.
Word family
- magmatic (adjective): Pertaining to or derived from magma
Collocations
- magma chamber
- molten magma
- magma plume
- magma flow
Example sentences
- "Liquid magma gathered in a vast chamber deep beneath the volcano prior to the explosive eruption." Volcanology
- "As magma cools slowly under the ground, large visible mineral crystals form within the resulting rock." Geological field report
Memory hook
MAGMA stays in Earth's STOMACH; LAVA LEAVES the surface. Subterranean molten paste.
When not to use
Do not call liquid rock on the surface magma; that is lava.
Fun facts
- Magma temperatures range between 700°C and 1300°C (1300°F to 2400°F).
Related words
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