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Glite Dictionary
pahoehoe

pahoehoe

9.9
A smooth, ropelike lava flow that forms when very runny lava moves slowly
  • noun
  • /pəˈhoʊˌhoʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pahoehoe
  • The pahoehoe flow created a beautiful, ropelike surface as it spread across the landscape.
  • pahoehoe lava
  • smooth pahoehoe

Examples

  • On the way down the Chain of Craters Road, we stopped the car, and I picked up a rock called pahoehoe.

    Academic text (1990)

  • This type of lava is called pahoehoe.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Walking over the field of pahoehoe, we admired its smooth texture and unique patterns.

  • The hikers carefully navigated the pahoehoe lava, marveling at its fluid shapes and shiny appearance.

How Smooth

pahoehoe
  • Specialized
9.9
aa
  • Specialized
2 9.9

Surface Forms

pahoehoe singular
pahoehoes plural

Etymology

Pahoehoe comes from the Hawaiian word pāhoehoe, which means 'smooth' and 'ropelike' lava. So today pahoehoe names the kind of lava flow that makes smooth, ropelike surfaces.