mofette

American  

[moh-fet, maw-fet] / moʊˈfɛt, mɔˈfɛt /

Or moffette

noun

1. a noxious emanation, consisting chiefly of carbon dioxide, escaping from the earth in regions of nearly extinct volcanic activity.

2. one of the openings or fissures from which this emanation issues.

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mofette British  

/ məʊˈfɛt /

noun

1. an opening in a region of nearly extinct volcanic activity, through which carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other gases pass

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Etymology

Origin of mofette

First recorded in 1815–25; from French, from Italian moffetta (Neapolitan mufeta ), equivalent to muff(a) ( Upper Italian mofa ) “mold” (from Langobardic; compare German Muff “mold,” late Middle High German müffeln “to give off a foul smell”) + -etta -ette ( def. )

Example Sentences

Mofette, mō-fet′, n. a noxious gas escaping from the earth.

From Project Gutenberg