mofette
or mof·fette
[ moh-fet; French maw-fet ]
/ moʊˈfɛt; French mɔˈfɛt /
noun
a noxious emanation, consisting chiefly of carbon dioxide, escaping from the earth in regions of nearly extinct volcanic activity.
one of the openings or fissures from which this emanation issues.
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Origin of mofette
1815–25; < French < Italian moffetta (Neapolitan mufeta), equivalent to muff(a) (Upper Italian mofa) mould (< Langobardic; compare German Muff mould, late Middle High German müffeln to give off a foul smell) + -etta -etta
Words nearby mofette
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for mofette
mofette
/ (məʊˈfɛt) /
noun
an opening in a region of nearly extinct volcanic activity, through which carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other gases pass
Word Origin for mofette
C19: from French, from Neapolitan Italian mofeta; compare dialect German muffezen to smell fetid
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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