Made liquid by heat; in a melted state, especially referring to metals or rock at very high temperatures. Appearing to flow like liquid due to intense heat.
Past participle of obsolete verb 'molt' meaning 'to melt', from Old English 'meltan'. Related to 'melt' but preserved in this fossilized form, primarily used for substances that melt at extremely high temperatures. The word maintains its archaic past participle ending '-en', similar to 'golden' or 'wooden'.
Molten lava reaches temperatures of 1000-1200°C, hot enough to melt copper coins instantly, yet it moves with an almost hypnotic, honey-like flow that belies its destructive power. The word 'molten' is linguistically fascinating as it's essentially a 'fossil word' - the past participle of a verb that no longer exists in modern English, preserved only in this specialized context.
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