volcano

American  

[vol-key-noh] / vɒlˈkeɪ noʊ /

noun

plural

volcanoes, volcanos

1. a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either continuously or at irregular intervals.

2. 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.

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volcano British  

/ vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ /

noun

1. 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

2. a mountain formed from volcanic material ejected from a vent in a central crater

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volcano Scientific  

/ vŏl-kā′nō /

1. An opening in the Earth's crust from which lava, ash, and hot gases flow or are ejected during an eruption.

2. 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.

3. ◆ 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.

4. ◆ 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.

5. Also called composite volcano

6. See more at hot spot island arc tectonic boundary volcanic arc

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volcano Cultural  

1. A cone-shaped mountain or hill created by molten material that rises from the interior of the Earth to the surface.

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Discover More

Volcanoes tend to occur along the edges of tectonic plates.

Eruptions and lava flows associated with them can be very destructive. (See Mount Saint Helens and Mount Vesuvius.)

Etymology

Origin of volcano

1605–15; < Italian < Latin Volcānus, variant of Vulcānus Vulcan

Explanation

When the earth's crust cracks open and spews hot lava and gases, you've got a volcano on your hands. You better run. The noun volcano comes from the name of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan. The Romans believed Vulcan had a forge in Mt. Etna, a volcano in Italy. The term can be applied to a vent in a planet's surface or crust. Lava, ash, and gas escape through the vent. The term volcano can also apply to a mountain created by such a vent.

Example Sentences

No major injuries or damage were reported and officials later lifted the tsunami warning for Kamchatka, although it was later reported the Klyuchevskoy Volcano had begun erupting.

From BBC • Jul. 30, 2025

La Mirada 72, Volcano Vista 69: It took two overtimes before La Mirada claimed victory.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2025

There was no imminent threat of a major eruption of Taal Volcano, which authorities said remains at a low level of unrest in Batangas province south of Manila.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2023

Kilauea, Hawaii’s most active volcano, erupted for the second time in three months on Sunday afternoon, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which said there was no immediate danger to residents.

From New York Times • Sep. 11, 2023

After the eruption, the Cascades Volcano Observatory was formally established in Vancouver, Washington in 1982, and other offices quickly followed: the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the California Volcano Observatory, and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Related Words

• alp
• bluff
• butte
• cliff
• crag
• elevation
• eminence
• height
• mesa
• mount
• palisade
• peak
• pike
• precipice
• range
• ridge
• sierra
• tor