volcanic glass

American  

noun

1. a natural glass produced when molten lava cools very rapidly; obsidian.

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volcanic glass British  

noun

1. any of several glassy volcanic igneous rocks, such as obsidian and pitchstone

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volcanic glass Scientific  

1. Natural glass produced by the cooling of molten lava too quickly to permit crystallization. Obsidian is a type of volcanic glass.

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Etymology

Origin of volcanic glass

First recorded in 1830–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

volcanic glass

These microscopic pieces of volcanic glass are invisible to the naked eye, making them extremely difficult to find.

From Science Daily ● May 11, 2026

One gem is thought to be a rare, 2nd Century head of the Greek hero Hercules made from obsidian, a type of volcanic glass.

From BBC ● May 27, 2024

In 2008, Brown University researchers revisited those lunar samples with new technology and found hydrogen inside tiny beads of volcanic glass.

From Reuters ● Aug. 22, 2023

Scientists say that the thermal shock results in the release of water vapor plumes loaded with hydrochloric acid and tiny particles of volcanic glass that can cause skin, eye and respiratory tract irritation.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2021

Sapiens bands that lived on the island of New Ireland, north of New Guinea, used a volcanic glass called obsidian to manufacture particularly strong and sharp tools.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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