adjective
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erupting or tending to erupt
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resembling or of the nature of an eruption
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(of rocks) formed from such products as ash and lava resulting from volcanic eruptions
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(of a disease) characterized by skin eruptions
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of eruptive
From the French word éruptif, dating back to 1640–50. See erupt, -ive
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.
Inspired by the 1771 watercolor Night view of a current of lava by British-Italian artist Pietro Fabris, Hamilton's concept relied on light and motion to replicate glowing lava and eruptive bursts.
From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 2025
By the early hours of January 16, all eruptive activity had ceased.
From National Geographic • Jan. 17, 2024
After an 800-year hiatus, eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula began again in 2021, which may mark a new "eruptive cycle", the IMO's Matthew Roberts says.
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2023
The radar can also hunt for pockets of water that could be fueling eruptive episodes that create the smooth plains, says Lorenzo Bruzzone, a remote-sensing scientist at the University of Trento.
From Science Magazine • Apr. 5, 2023
Then there was an eruptive movement, people pushing forward, other people pushing back.
From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry
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.
