[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/basalt/)

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# basalt

noun (basalt)

«basalt» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A hard, dark grey or black rock made when hot lava from a volcano cools quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#m1)
2. (adjective use) Made of this rock: basalt columns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons on rocks, basalt is a classic igneous rock; much of the ocean floor is basalt. Famous basalt places include the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland with its six-sided columns. Phrases: basalt rock, basalt columns, basalt lava.

### Examples

- Basalt forms when lava cools quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x1)
- The Giant's Causeway is made of thousands of basalt columns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x2)
- Basalt is dark and very hard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x3)
- Most of the ocean floor is made of basalt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x4)
- We sorted the rocks: granite, chalk and basalt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x5)
- Many columns have six sides, like hexagons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/#x6)

### Note

Uncountable. Say BAS-awlt or buh-SAWLT. Basalt is igneous (made from melted rock), unlike chalk or sandstone, which are sedimentary. Basalt has tiny crystals because it cooled fast; granite has big crystals because it cooled slowly.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «basalt» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/basalt/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«basalt» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/basalt.html) on Mova free.