molten
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
melted by very high heat, usually referring to metal, glass, or rock.
liquefied by heat; typically applied to substances that are solid at room temperature, such as metals, glass, or silicate rocks.
Simple“The volcano poured molten rock down the side of the mountain.”
In context“The factory workers wore protective gear to shield themselves from the intense heat radiating from the vats of molten steel.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
made by pouring hot, liquid material into a shape and letting it cool.
produced by the process of melting and casting; often used in a literary or technical context to describe metalwork.
Simple“The museum displayed ancient molten images made of gold and silver.”
In context“The artisan specialised in molten glass techniques, creating intricate sculptures that captured the fluid motion of the material.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
shining with a very bright, hot light like liquid metal.
characterised by a glowing, intense heat or appearance suggestive of liquefied metal.
Simple“The sunset turned the clouds into a molten orange colour.”
In context“The sky was a molten gold as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a fierce light across the desert.”
Synonyms
“But the key climate-driving component of the volcano’s emissions was sulfur from the molten rock that fed Krakatau.”
“After repeated volcanic eruptions near a fishing town in Iceland, two architects are pushing a novel, futuristic way to harness vast lava fields - by turning molten rock into a construction material.”
From Middle English molten, from Old English molten, ġemolten (“melted, molten”), from Proto-Germanic multanaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic meltaną (“to melt”). Cognate with Scots moltin, Swedish multen.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.