Ring of Fire

American  

noun

Geology.

1. Also called Circum-Pacific belt.  the linear zone of seismic and volcanic activity that coincides in general with the margins of the Pacific Plate.

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Etymology

Origin of Ring of Fire

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

“Taiwan’s geography adds another layer of vulnerability, as the Pacific Ring of Fire exposes production to earthquakes, tsunamis and severe weather events,” says Helfstein.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 16, 2026

Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

Made up of thousands of islands, the Philippines sits in the so-called Ring of Fire, a seismic arc of volcanoes and fault lines around the Pacific basin that also includes Indonesia and Japan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

Jeronimo Kataquapit, a member of Ontario's Attawapiskat First Nation, is camped outside The Ring of Fire, a mineral-rich region located in remote northern Ontario.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

Because these faults produce volcanic activity, the arc has become known as the Ring of Fire.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland