n. pl. mag·ma·ta (-mätə) or mag·mas 1. Geology The molten rock material under the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is formed by cooling. 2. Pharmacology A suspension of particles in a liquid, such as milk of magnesia. 3. A mixture of finely divided solids with enough liquid to produce a pasty mass. 4. Archaic The residue of fruits after the juice has been expressed; pomace. [Middle English, sediment, dregs, from Latin, from Greek, unguent, from massein, mag-, to knead; see mag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] mag·matic (-mătĭk) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.