volcano
a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either continuously or at irregular intervals.
a mountain or hill, usually having a cuplike crater at the summit, formed around such a vent from the ash and lava expelled through it.
Origin of volcano
1Words that may be confused with volcano
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use volcano in a sentence
Volcanoes spewed lava and ash, ocean floors were thrust upward, sand and rock and shale settled into slurry.
Napa’s Earthquake Is Not The Only Thing Shaking The Vineyards | Clive Irving | August 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe land of active volcanoes, volatile weather, and dramatic landscapes has been a hub of creativity and culture for centuries.
Underneath the most placid waters, there are vicious currents and tides, and underwater volcanoes that are constantly erupting.
Other natural climate variations include solar activity and volcanoes.
Earth Day: Discussing the Coming Climate Crisis With Heidi Cullen | Dominique Browning | April 22, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTRussian roulette,” as Scarth observes, “is not a game that volcanoes usually lose.
It is probable that they may have obtained fire at first from volcanoes on neighboring islands.
Man And His Ancestor | Charles MorrisThey learned that many of the mountains were extinct volcanoes and admired the brilliant colored sandstone and shale formations.
The Adventure Girls at K Bar O | Clair BlankA few of the volcanoes in the latter region have only recently become extinct; a few may be only dormant.
This great volcanic period was followed by the eruptions of Kibo and some of the larger volcanoes of the rift-valley.
"Put on these clothes at once," she said imperiously, knowing nothing of the volcanoes beneath the surface.
Penelope's Experiences in Scotland | Kate Douglas Wiggin
British Dictionary definitions for volcano
/ (vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ) /
an opening in the earth's crust from which molten lava, rock fragments, ashes, dust, and gases are ejected from below the earth's surface
a mountain formed from volcanic material ejected from a vent in a central crater
Origin of volcano
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for volcano
[ vŏl-kā′nō ]
An opening in the Earth's crust from which lava, ash, and hot gases flow or are ejected during an eruption.
A usually cone-shaped mountain formed by the materials issuing from such an opening. Volcanoes are usually associated with plate boundaries but can also occur within the interior areas of a tectonic plate. Their shape is directly related to the type of magma that flows from them-the more viscous the magma, the steeper the sides of the volcano.♦ A volcano composed of gently sloping sheets of basaltic lava from successive volcanic eruptions is called a shield volcano. The lava flows associated with shield volcanos, such as Mauna Loa, on Hawaii, are very fluid.♦ A volcano composed of steep, alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic materials, including ash, is called a stratovolcano. Stratovolcanos are associated with relatively viscous lava and with explosive eruptions. They are the most common form of large continental volcanos. Mount Vesuvius, Mount Fuji, and Mount St. Helens are stratovolcanos. Also called composite volcano See more at hot spot island arc tectonic boundary volcanic arc.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for volcano
A cone-shaped mountain or hill created by molten material that rises from the interior of the Earth to the surface.
Notes for volcano
Notes for volcano
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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