lava

noun

la·​va ˈlä-və How to pronounce lava (audio) ˈla- How to pronounce lava (audio)
: molten rock that issues from a volcano or from a fissure in the surface of a planet (such as earth) or moon
also : such rock that has cooled and hardened
lavalike
ˈlä-və-ˌlīk How to pronounce lava (audio)
ˈla-
adjective

Examples of lava in a Sentence

a flow of molten lava
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.
However, many of these craters have been at least partially filled by lava flowing across the surface of the Red Planet around three billion years ago, according a statement from the European Space Agency (ESA) accompanying the image. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026 For his final marathon in Sicily, Manson ran as Mount Etna was erupting and spewing lava. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 But in a number of locations—Mount Etna, Hawaii, Iceland—lava gets expelled in dramatic fountains that can reach several hundred meters in height. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 9 Oct. 2026 Its black-sand coves, lava-rock shores, coral-rubble beaches, and stretches of golden sand deserve their fame, but the islands have much more to explore inland. — Kevin Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lava

Word History

Etymology

Italian, ultimately from Latin labes fall; akin to Latin labi to slide — more at sleep

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lava was in 1759

Phrases Containing lava

Rhymes for lava

See All Rhymes for lava

Browse Nearby Words

lav
lava
Lava Beds National Monument
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lava.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lava. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lava

noun
la·​va ˈläv-ə How to pronounce lava (audio) ˈlav- How to pronounce lava (audio)
: melted rock coming from a volcano
also : such rock that has cooled and hardened

More from Merriam-Webster on lava

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lava

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