noun
lava
LAH-vuh
noun
1
Molten rock that has erupted from a volcano onto the earth's surface, or the solid rock formed once it cools.
"Glowing rivers of lava crept slowly down the mountainside."
"The old lava fields have hardened into black, jagged rock."
2
A deep orange-red colour, named after molten lava.
"She painted the accent wall a fiery lava shade."
How to Use Lava
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe hot liquid rock that flows out of an erupting volcano, or the rock it turns into once it cools and hardens.
Common mistake
Below the surface it is called magma; it is only called lava once it reaches the surface and erupts.
Common pairings
flowing lava
molten lava
lava flow
lava rock
Word Forms
lavas plural
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Glowing rivers of _____ crept slowly down the mountainside.
Etymology
From Italian lava, originally a dialect word from the Naples area meaning a stream that overflows onto the street, likely tracing back to Latin labes, "a fall or collapse."