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volatile
[ vol-uh-tl, -tilor, especially British, -tahyl ]
adjective
- evaporating rapidly; passing off readily in the form of vapor:
Acetone is a volatile solvent.
- tending or threatening to break out into open violence; explosive:
a volatile political situation.
- changeable; mercurial; flighty:
a volatile disposition.
- (of prices, values, etc.) tending to fluctuate sharply and regularly:
volatile market conditions.
- fleeting; transient:
volatile beauty.
- Computers. of or relating to storage that does not retain data when electrical power is turned off or fails.
- able to fly or flying.
noun
- a volatile substance, as a gas or solvent.
volatile
/ ˌvɒləˈtɪlɪtɪ; ˈvɒləˌtaɪl /
adjective
- (of a substance) capable of readily changing from a solid or liquid form to a vapour; having a high vapour pressure and a low boiling point
- (of persons) disposed to caprice or inconstancy; fickle; mercurial
- (of circumstances) liable to sudden, unpredictable, or explosive change
- lasting only a short time
volatile business interests
- computing (of a memory) not retaining stored information when the power supply is cut off
- obsolete.flying or capable of flight; volant
noun
- a volatile substance
- rare.a winged creature
volatile
/ vŏl′ə-tl /
- Changing easily from liquid to vapor at normal temperatures and pressures. Essential oils used in perfumes are highly volatile.
Derived Forms
- ˈvolatileness, noun
Other Words From
- vol·a·til·i·ty [vol-, uh, -, til, -i-tee], vola·tile·ness noun
- nonvol·a·tili·ty noun
- semi·vola·tile adjective
- un·vola·tile adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of volatile1
Example Sentences
Without government backing, bitcoin's price is highly volatile.
Yes, accepting such a volatile currency for payment is a GAAP accounting nightmare.
Over three of the stock’s most volatile trading days, GameStop shares changed hands 554 million times — more than 11 times the number of total shares available.
Methane, for example, consists of a single carbon atom linked to four hydrogen atoms and is extremely volatile.
Diseases will likely manifest themselves by the presence of multiple volatile molecules—a cocktail of them, Koulakov thinks, so here rodents’ abilities would be particularly helpful.
Visibly affected the by military atmosphere the young man admitted his emotions were volatile.
Pryor had yet to become the volatile social satirist who unnerved white industry executives and delighted black audiences.
But politics are volatile in Ukraine and Opposition Bloc is pushing hard.
In the volatile southern province of Kandahar, for instance, an innovative school for teenage girls will soon close its doors.
Living as they do in the heart of the volatile Caucasus, Georgians are only too aware of the fires that surround them.
The atmosphere of the earth is composed mainly of very volatile elements, known as nitrogen and argon.
The nurse brought her sal volatile, and washed the small cut above her eyebrow.
I had fears that I might find you alone in a darkened room, with tear-stained eyes and sal-volatile by your side.
Caermarthen's eldest son—bold and volatile, fond of the sea, and living much among sailors—had a small yacht of marvellous speed.
A volatile oil, used to keep away insects from textiles, is obtained from the leaves.
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