lava
[ˈɫa.wa]New Latin, feminine
The English word lava is translated into Latin as lava. Wiktionary also lists rhyax.
Meaning: molten rock (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| lava | [ˈɫa.wa] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈlaː.va] (narrow) |
New Latin, feminine |
| rhyax | New Latin, masculine |
The term refers to molten rock.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word lava is a New Latin term rather than a Classical Latin word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form lava is a feminine noun, while rhyax is a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- The term lava originally described a 'downpour overflowing the streets' in Neapolitan and Sicilian dialects.
- The English word 'lapse', meaning a slip or a fall, is a distant relative of lava through their shared root in lābī.
Examples in context
- Solum lava est.The floor is lava.This sentence is useful for demonstrating the use of lava.Tatoeba #12087058 by shekitten, translation #6287061 by Hybrid
- Lava per montem fluit.The lava flows down the mountain.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marcus and Claudia are observing a volcano.
- MarcusVide, Claudia! Lava fluit de monte.Look, Claudia! Lava is flowing from the mountain.
- ClaudiaIta, Marce. Lava valde periculosa videtur.Yes, Marcus. The lava seems very dangerous.
- MarcusUbi lava finitur, terra nigra fit.Where the lava ends, the land becomes black.
- ClaudiaNunc longe ab ea stare debemus.Now we must stand far away from it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lava” translations and entries lava, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lava, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
