Meaning
The molten rock ejected by a volcano from a vent such as a crater or fissure; magma that has breached the surface of the earth.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
From Italian, from Neapolitan and Sicilian lava (“lava; downpour overflowing the streets”), likely from Latin lābēs (“a fall; a collapse; subsidence”); compare lābīna (“landslide”). A supposed relation with lavare (“to wash”) is now widely discredited, nor is there probably any relation with Arabic لابة (lāba, “black volcanic rock”). Alternatively, the Romance words are connected with Provençal lavo, lauvo (“flat stone”), from a Vulgar Latin source borrowed from a Celtic language such as Gaulish *lawā, but ultimately of obscure origin; see Proto-Celtic *līwos for details.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 27 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-10-05VAILORT
- 2026-08-28VADILTY
- 2026-07-19VAGILNT
- 2026-05-06AVIURLT
- 2026-04-29VATEGLO
- 2026-01-28LAFORUV
- 2025-12-19VTAPIEL
- 2025-11-10AIPNLOV
- 2025-08-27LAVIDNY
- 2025-06-30LAUHEPV
- 2025-05-31LYAVEBO
- 2025-03-06VALECIT
+15 earlier appearances in the archive.