volcanic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, produced by, or characterized by the presence of volcanoes
a volcanic region
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suggestive of or resembling an erupting volcano
a volcanic era
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another word for extrusive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of volcanic
Explanation
If something is volcanic, it's violently explosive, like the volcanic eruption from a mountain or a two-year-old's volcanic temper tantrum after skipping his afternoon nap. Use this adjective to describe anything related to volcanoes, like volcanic ash and rock left behind after a volcanic eruption, or the volcanic activity picked up by a scientist's equipment. It's also a great way to talk about emotions that are (figuratively, at least) as volatile as a volcano. If your sister's mood is volcanic, you'll want to steer clear of her. The source of both volcanic and volcano is the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.
Vocabulary lists containing volcanic
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Pacific Islands - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Volcanic eruptions that look like single events are often the visible outcome of slow, complicated activity taking place deep underground.
From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026
Volcanic earthquakes have a characteristic signature of low frequency wave forms and these have not been exhibited here.
From BBC • Feb. 6, 2025
Volcanic eruptions from Earth mainly produce steam because our planet has a water-rich interior.
From Salon • Dec. 5, 2024
Volcanic stomp-rockets may happen at other volcanoes as well, although they’re likely rare says Michael Manga, a volcanologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
From Science Magazine • May 27, 2024
And by the next summer, Charles had finished his book Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands Visited During the Voyage ofHMS Beagle.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
