ejecta

noun

ejec·​ta i-ˈjek-tə How to pronounce ejecta (audio)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: material thrown out (as from a volcano)

Examples of ejecta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Paul Chodas, director of the Center for Near Earth Object Studies at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said 2024 PT5 is possibly a piece of ejecta from an impact on the moon, meaning the mini-moon may have originated as a piece of the original moon, according to the New York Times. Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024 Since then, researchers have found that the ejecta also contain organic compounds and silica, indicating ongoing chemical reactions that are only possible where liquid water meets rock. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024 Also found were traces of supernova ejecta, the chemicals blasted outward in the fatal explosion of a star. Linda Shiner, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024 Presolar grains like the one in the picture help researchers understand nucleosynthesis in stars, mixing of different zones in stars and stellar ejecta, and how abundances of elements and their isotopes change with time in the galaxy. Sachiko Amari, Discover Magazine, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ejecta 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of ejectus

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ejecta was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near ejecta

Cite this Entry

“Ejecta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ejecta. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

ejecta

noun
ejec·​ta i-ˈjek-tə How to pronounce ejecta (audio)
: matter (as vomit) ejected from the body
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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