1. a type of lava that has a smooth, ropy surface when it cools and solidifies
Usage: geology; from Hawaiian

Examples

• The volcanic field was covered with pahoehoe lava that had cooled into smooth, wave-like formations.
• Geologists identified the pahoehoe flows from the recent eruption by their characteristic ropy texture.
• Unlike the rough a'a lava, pahoehoe is easier to walk across despite its uneven surface.
• The pahoehoe lava from Kilauea spread across the landscape in dark, glossy sheets.
• Scientists studied the pahoehoe samples to understand the volcano's eruption history.