volcanic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, produced by, or characterized by the presence of volcanoes
a volcanic region
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suggestive of or resembling an erupting volcano
a volcanic era
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another word for extrusive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of volcanic
Explanation
If something is volcanic, it's violently explosive, like the volcanic eruption from a mountain or a two-year-old's volcanic temper tantrum after skipping his afternoon nap. Use this adjective to describe anything related to volcanoes, like volcanic ash and rock left behind after a volcanic eruption, or the volcanic activity picked up by a scientist's equipment. It's also a great way to talk about emotions that are (figuratively, at least) as volatile as a volcano. If your sister's mood is volcanic, you'll want to steer clear of her. The source of both volcanic and volcano is the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.
Vocabulary lists containing volcanic
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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.
Those measurements bolstered the idea that the asteroid impact intensified volcanic activity, creating a one-two punch that contributed to the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
Fluorite commonly forms when hot water circulates through volcanic rock, indicating that Jezero Crater experienced a later period of heated groundwater activity after the earlier interactions with groundwater and the lake.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
His account did more than preserve the story of one of history's most famous volcanic disasters.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
To test the recalibrated method, the researchers examined eight samples of sanidine, a potassium-containing volcanic mineral from Vesuvius.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
Over the past week, Malone had put Johnston to work deciphering seismic signals, but Johnston’s specialty was volcanic gases.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
