Basaltic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or composed of a dark, dense volcanic rock that is rich in iron and magnesium, exhibiting a fine-grained texture and formed from rapid cooling of lava
2. Pertaining to a type of volcanic rock characterized by its low silica content and high density, commonly found in oceanic crust and known for forming basalt columns
3. Describing a rock type that is typically black or dark gray, which forms from the solidification of lava flows and is prevalent in various geological settings

Etymology: "Basaltic" is a plain formation: English "basalt" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ic" added to it. The suffix itself has a long pedigree, passing from ancient Greek into Latin, then through Old French and Middle English, before settling into English as "-ic" and attaching to nouns to mean "of, relating to, or having the character of" that thing. The noun it grows from, "basalt," is the more interesting half. It is a borrowing of the Latin "basaltes," which was itself a Latinised form of a term from the Greek and Egyptian world, referring to a dark, hard stone. The adjective simply extends that sense, so that "basaltic" describes rock of that composition, or, as in your definition, material formed from cooled lava.

Synonyms: volcanic, igneous, rocky