tephra

[tef-ruh]

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. clastic volcanic material, as scoria, dust, etc., ejected during an eruption.

tephra

/ ˈtɛfrə /

noun

1. solid matter ejected during a volcanic eruption

tephra

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tephra¹

First recorded in 1960–65, tephra is from the Greek word téphra (singular) ashes

Word History and Origins

Origin of tephra¹

C20: Greek, literally: ashes

Example Sentences

Roman concrete consisted of a mixture of a white powder known as slaked lime, small particles and rock fragments called tephra ejected by volcanic eruptions, and water.

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The Connecticut-based artist, whose “What Makes the Earth Shake” is at Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, often depicts people reading, pondering or gazing out a window.

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The two artists employ such solid materials as stucco and plaster, but softer, more nebulous aspects also characterize the pieces in O’Brien’s “Cross Sections,” at Tephra ICA at Signature, and Sohn’s “Unspoken Volumes,” at the University of Maryland’s Stamp Gallery.

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That’s one reason the Boston- and New York-based artist’s show at Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art is called “Mother Line.”

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Before January, Tephra ICA was the Greater Reston Arts Center in Virginia, which sponsored several installations in the park across the street from its Reston Town Center home.

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