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volcanism

American  
[vol-kuh-niz-uhm] / ˈvɒl kəˌnɪz əm /

noun

Geology.
  1. the phenomena connected with volcanoes and volcanic activity.


volcanism British  
/ ˈvɒlkəˌnɪzəm /

noun

  1. those processes collectively that result in the formation of volcanoes and their products

"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

Etymology

Origin of volcanism

First recorded in 1865–70; volcan(o) + -ism

Vocabulary lists containing volcanism

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.

“The intriguing feature could improve our understanding of volcanism not only on Io but on other worlds as well.”

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2025

“Erebus helps us understand what other volcanism in the region could look like.”

From Science Magazine • Dec. 2, 2024

To better understand its volcanism, scientists hoped to catch a Venusian eruption in the act.

From New York Times • May 27, 2024

"Based on the Hg-isotope variations we were able to link an initial pulse in Hg enrichment at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary to the emission of mercury from flood basalt volcanism," Wang Zheng explains.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

It seemed as though the entire tip of the mountain was gone; had become a seething, flaming volcano on a world that had known no volcanism for hundreds of thousands of years.

From Subspace Survivors by Dongen, H. R. van