The volcano last erupted 25 years ago.
after months of tension the roommates' living situation was a volcano
Recent Examples on the WebWhile the active volcanoes are certainly the park’s stars — Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world — the expansive national park offers more than eruptions and rugged lava fields.—Kait Hanson, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2024 Surrounded by tropical foliage with the peak of Arenal volcano in full view, the property is really all about celebrating that sense of place.—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 15 June 2024 Along with their prospective colossal squid, the scientists spotted a giant volcano sponge—animals thought to live up to 15,000 years—and dozens of other deep-sea Antarctic species.—Evert Lindquist, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2024 Visitors can climb an extinct cinder cone volcano nearby, although they’re warned to watch out for rattlesnakes and unexploded military ordnance.—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for volcano
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'volcano.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Italian or Spanish; Italian vulcano, from Spanish volcán, ultimately from Latin Volcanus Vulcan
: a vent in the earth's crust from which melted or hot rock and steam come out
also: a hill or mountain composed entirely or in part of the material thrown out
Etymology
from Italian or Spanish; Italian vulcano "volcano," from Spanish vulcán, from Latin Volcanus, Vulcanus "Vulcan (Roman god of fire)"
Word Origin
The ancient Greeks and Romans had many gods and goddesses. Each of these deities was in charge of a special kind of work or an aspect of nature. Many of the happenings in nature were explained in myth as the actions of one or more of these gods or goddesses. The Roman god of fire was known as Vulcanus in Latin (Vulcan in English). He was thought to live inside Mount Etna, a volcano on the island of Sicily. Vulcan was a giant who worked as a blacksmith, forging the thunderbolts for Jupiter, king of the gods. The smoke and occasional fiery rocks and lava that came from Mount Etna were thought to be from Vulcan's forge. That is how his name came to be applied to a mountain that sometimes spews forth fire and smoke.
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