Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

igneous rock

Noun

/ˈɪɡ.ni.əs rɑk/

Definition

A type of rock formed from the cooling and solidification of molten material called magma or lava.

Examples

Granite is an example of an igneous rock that forms from slow cooling of magma beneath the Earth’s surface.
Basalts, a type of igneous rock, are formed from the rapid cooling of lava at the Earth’s surface.

Meaning

Igneous rocks are one of the three main types of rocks, formed when magma rises from the earth’s interior to the surface and cools down, either beneath the surface or after erupting as lava.