Phrase guide

lava lamp

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A kind of lamp, typically used more for decoration than illumination, in which the gentle flow of randomly-shaped clumps of wax purportedly suggests the flowing of lava.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

A trademarked name registered by Mathmos in 1963 for the item.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: lava lampası — lamp used for decoration
  • Esperanto: lafolampo — lamp used for decoration
  • Estonian: laavalamp — lamp used for decoration
  • Finnish: laavalamppu — lamp used for decoration
  • French: lampe à lave — lamp used for decoration
  • Georgian: ლავის ნათურა (lavis natura) — lamp used for decoration
  • German: Lavalampe — lamp used for decoration
  • Greek: λάμπα λάβας (lámpa lávas) — lamp used for decoration
  • Hebrew: מְנוֹרָה לַבָּה (m'norá láva) — lamp used for decoration
  • Hungarian: lávalámpa — lamp used for decoration
  • Icelandic: hraunlampi — lamp used for decoration
  • Japanese: ラバライト (rabaraito) — lamp used for decoration
  • Japanese: ラーヴァランプ (rāvaranpu) — lamp used for decoration
  • Russian: ла́вовая ла́мпа (lávovaja lámpa) — lamp used for decoration
  • Russian: лава-ла́мпа (lava-lámpa) — lamp used for decoration
  • Swedish: lavalampa — lamp used for decoration
  • Turkish: lava lambası — lamp used for decoration