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volcanology

American  
[vol-kuh-nol-uh-jee] / ˌvɒl kəˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

  1. the scientific study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena.


volcanology British  
/ ˌvɒlkəˈnɒlədʒɪ, ˌvɒlkənəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

  1. the study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena

"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

volcanology Scientific  
/ vŏl′kə-nŏlə-jē,vôl′- /
  1. The scientific study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of volcanology

First recorded in 1885–90; volcano + -logy

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.

See Examples For:

Predicting volcanic eruptions early enough to warn authorities and nearby communities remains one of the biggest challenges in volcanology.

From Science Daily Mar. 15, 2026

Waesche, meanwhile, though dormant and possibly extinct, may offer an answer to the most pressing question in Antarctic volcanology: With ice melting ever more quickly, will the volcanoes grow more active?

From Science Magazine Dec. 2, 2024

“It's like our moonshot. It's going to transform a lot of things,” says Yan Lavallée, a professor of magmatic petrology and volcanology at the Ludwigs-Maximillian University in Munich, and who heads KMT’s science committee.

From BBC Oct. 17, 2024

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has 127 active volcanoes, according to the volcanology agency.

From Reuters Jun. 9, 2023

Other voices chimed in—from the head of the University of Oregon’s volcanology department, from Stanford University, and others—to counteract Johnston’s drama.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

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