tephra
[ tef-ruh ]
/ ˈtɛf rə /
noun (used with a plural verb)
clastic volcanic material, as scoria, dust, etc., ejected during an eruption.
Nearby words
tepe gawra, tepee, tepefy, tepexpán man, tephillin, tephra, tephrite, tephritic, tephrochronology, tephroite, tephromancy
Origin of tephra
First recorded in 1960–65, tephra is from the Greek word téphra (singular) ashes
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for tephra
tephra
/ (ˈtɛfrə) /
noun
mainly US solid matter ejected during a volcanic eruption
Word Origin for tephra
C20: Greek, literally: ashes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for tephra
tephra
[ tĕf′rə ]
Solid matter, such as ash, dust, and cinders, that is ejected into the air by an erupting volcano. Tephra is a general term for all pyroclastic materials ejected from a volcano.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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