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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In recent years, scientists have proposed an even more outlandish explanation: The plumes are hydrothermal ejecta from an underground ocean. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 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 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 22 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!