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shield volcano

[ sheeldvol-key-noh ]
/ ˈʃild vɒlˌkeɪ noʊ /
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noun Geology.
a volcano formed entirely from accumulated flows of fluid lava, growing a few feet at a time and giving the volcano its broad, gently sloping profile.
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Origin of shield volcano

First recorded in 1910–15; translation of German Schildvulkan, from the resemblance of the volcano to an upturned circular shield
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use shield volcano in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shield volcano

shield volcano

noun
a broad volcano built up from the repeated nonexplosive eruption of basalt to form a low dome or shield, usually having a large caldera at the summit
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for shield volcano

shield volcano

See under volcano.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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