volcano

noun

vol·​ca·​no väl-ˈkā-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce volcano (audio)
vȯl-
plural volcanoes or volcanos
1
: a vent in the crust of the earth or another planet or a moon from which usually molten or hot rock and steam issue
also : a hill or mountain composed wholly or in part of the ejected material
2
: something of explosively violent potential

Illustration of volcano

Illustration of volcano
  • 1 cinder cone
  • 2 shield volcano
  • 3 stratovolcano

Examples of volcano in a Sentence

The volcano last erupted 25 years ago. after months of tension the roommates' living situation was a volcano
Recent Examples on the Web Is that the same Rockfish that used to be on Hulen Street? —South sider The Dallas-area Rockfish Seafood restaurants, known for dishes such as volcano shrimp or Southwest seafood enchiladas, will return to Fort Worth in late March at 6333 Camp Bowie Blvd. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2024 Hopefully these data from Iceland can be applied to other volcanoes around the planet to continue reducing the deaths and injuries from eruptions. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The Popocatépetl volcano sits in central Mexico between the states of Morelos, Puebla and the State of Mexico. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 In the center of Fujinomiya, the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center offers a five-story interactive tribute to the world’s most iconic volcano—and make sure to pay a visit to the adjacent Fujisan Sengen Shrine. Jonny Bierman, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024 Guests will then head to Taormina, Syracuse, and the Aeolian Islands of Lipari and Stromboli for volcano treks, winery visits, and slope-side lunches. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 Spend the rest of the day exploring the park — hike around the volcano summit or head to the remote Kīpahulu District, home to a dense bamboo forest, the powerful Makahiku Falls, and plenty of scenic hiking trails. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2024 The Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges are deep-sea mountain ranges with multiple volcanoes that extend nearly 1,870 miles and are home to numerous species. Priya Shukla, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 In Mountains of Fire, Clive Oppenheimer, a professor of volcanology at the University of Cambridge, recounts a life spent studying volcanoes up close. Tim Flannery, The New York Review of Books, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'volcano.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian or Spanish; Italian vulcano, from Spanish volcán, ultimately from Latin Volcanus Vulcan

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of volcano was in 1665

Dictionary Entries Near volcano

Cite this Entry

“Volcano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volcano. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

volcano

noun
vol·​ca·​no väl-ˈkā-nō How to pronounce volcano (audio)
vȯl-
plural volcanoes or volcanos
: a vent in the earth's crust from which melted or hot rock and steam come out
also : a hill or mountain composed entirely or in part of the material thrown out
Etymology

from Italian or Spanish; Italian vulcano "volcano," from Spanish vulcán, from Latin Volcanus, Vulcanus "Vulcan (Roman god of fire)"

Word Origin
The ancient Greeks and Romans had many gods and goddesses. Each of these deities was in charge of a special kind of work or an aspect of nature. Many of the happenings in nature were explained in myth as the actions of one or more of these gods or goddesses. The Roman god of fire was known as Vulcanus in Latin (Vulcan in English). He was thought to live inside Mount Etna, a volcano on the island of Sicily. Vulcan was a giant who worked as a blacksmith, forging the thunderbolts for Jupiter, king of the gods. The smoke and occasional fiery rocks and lava that came from Mount Etna were thought to be from Vulcan's forge. That is how his name came to be applied to a mountain that sometimes spews forth fire and smoke.

More from Merriam-Webster on volcano

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