nuée ardente

American  

[ny-ey ar-dahnt] / nü eɪ arˈdɑ̃t /

noun

Geology.

nuées ardentes plural

1. (in a volcanic eruption) a swiftly flowing, dense cloud of hot gases, ashes, and lava fragments.

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nuée ardente British  

/ ˈnyeɪ ɑːˈdɑ̃t /

noun

1. a rapidly moving turbulent incandescent cloud of gas, ash, and rock fragments flowing close to the ground after violent ejection from a volcano See also ignimbrite

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nuée ardente Scientific  

/ no̅o̅-ā′ăr-dänt′ /

nuées ardentes plural

1. A fast moving gaseous cloud of hot ashes and other material thrown out from an erupting volcano. Nuées ardentes are often incandescent.

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Etymology

Origin of nuée ardente

1900–05; < French: literally, burning cloud