Ring of Fire

American

noun

Geology.

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

Etymology

Origin of Ring of Fire

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

Along its margins, earthquakes and eruptions abound -- a pattern known as the ring of fire.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2024

The path of the ring of fire, or annular eclipse, mostly crosses the Pacific Ocean, limiting visibility from land to a few locations.

From National Geographic • Dec. 6, 2023

For months before the ring of fire, traditional Navajos had to dodge posters advertising its arrival.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2023

The good news is that another eclipse is coming soon — a total solar eclipse, without a ring of fire.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2023

Nhamo added wood to the ring of fire.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023