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

See Examples For:

Vesuvius

A mechanical artwork first imagined in 1775 to recreate the eruption of Italy's Mount Vesuvius has been brought to life for the first time, 250 years after it was conceived.

From Science Daily ● May 2, 2026

Birth amid the early Industrial Revolution, training with Joshua Reynolds’s teacher, and a budget visit to see Naples and Vesuvius.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026

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

If Vesuvius had erupted in late August, going to the market that day may well have been the best decision of many people’s lives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

I learned about how the whole city of Pompeii got covered up when Vesuvius erupted.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper