Vesuvius

American  

[vuh-soo-vee-uhs] / vəˈsu vi əs /

noun

1. Mount, an active volcano in SW Italy, near Naples. Its eruption destroyed the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum a.d. 79. About 3,900 feet (1,190 meters).

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Vesuvius British  

/ vɪˈsuːvɪəs /

noun

1. Italian name: Vesuvio.  a volcano in SW Italy, on the Bay of Naples: first recorded eruption in 79 _ad , which destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae; numerous eruptions since then. Average height: 1220 m (4003 ft)

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Example Sentences

And when it comes to the legacy of Mount Vesuvius — able to change the sky and move the earth — history encompasses all that’s above and plenty that’s subterranean, too.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The other victims of Vesuvius whose remains have been uncovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum have remained relatively statuelike in their anonymity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

If the eruption had occurred in August, the population surrounding Vesuvius would have been far denser than usual and the death toll potentially higher.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

An intricate mechanical model created in 1775 to capture the explosive beauty of Italy's Mount Vesuvius has erupted to life for the very first time, 250 years after it was first imagined.

From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 2025

After the eruption of Vesuvius, volcanic ash had buried the city and hardened to rock around dying Pompeians.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan