lava

 
Pronunciation: /ˈlɑːvə/

noun

[mass noun]
  • hot molten or semi-fluid rock erupted from a volcano or fissure, or solid rock resulting from cooling of this: tablelands of lava [count noun]: porphyritic lavas

Origin:

mid 18th century: from Italian (Neapolitan dialect), denoting the lava stream from Vesuvius, but originally denoting a stream caused by sudden rain, from lavare 'to wash', from Latin