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

Examples of magma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Similar to how magma itself shifts landscapes and helps transform terrain, this year’s graduates were invited to challenge conventions and propose new perspectives on the future of fashion. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 14 July 2026 Gas seeps out of the magma and diffuses into the atmosphere, in theory enriching it in oxygen, silicon hydride and silicon monoxide, while going the other way the magma absorbs ammonia, methane and water vapor from the atmosphere. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 July 2026 Drone mapping system for volcanic eruptions Volcanoes release massive amounts of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide as rising magma experiences a drop in pressure. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026 Whether that quiet slipping is directly triggered by the movement of magma, however, has remained an open question. Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for magma

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Magma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magma. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

: molten rock material within the earth

Medical Definition

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

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