magma

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Magma \Mag"ma\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to squeeze, knead.]
   1. Any crude mixture of mineral or organic matters in the
      state of a thin paste. --Ure.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Med.)
      (a) A thick residuum obtained from certain substances
          after the fluid parts are expressed from them; the
          grounds which remain after treating a substance with
          any menstruum, as water or alcohol.
      (b) A salve or confection of thick consistency.
          --Dunglison.
          [1913 Webster]

   3. (Geol.)
      (a) The molten matter within the earth, the source of the
          material of lava flows, dikes of eruptive rocks, etc.
      (b) The glassy base of an eruptive rock.
          [1913 Webster]

   4. (Chem.) The amorphous or homogenous matrix or ground mass,
      as distinguished from well-defined crystals; as, the magma
      of porphyry.
      [1913 Webster] Magna Carta

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Magma

   <symbolic mathematics, tool> A program used for heavy duty
   algebraic computation in many branches of mathematics.  Magma,
   developed by John Cannon and associates at the University of
   Sydney, succeeded {Cayley}.  It runs at several hundred sites.

   E-mail: <[email protected]>.

   (http://maths.usyd.edu.au:8000/u/magma/).

   [W. Bosma, J. Cannon and C. Playoust, The Magma algebra system
   I: The user language, J. Symb. Comp., 24, 3/4, 1997, 235-265].

   (2000-12-21)