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Webster 1913 Edition


Volcanic

Vol-can′ic

,
Adj.
[Cf. F.
volcanique
, It.
vulcanico
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to a volcano or volcanoes;
as,
volcanic
heat
.
2.
Produced by a volcano, or, more generally, by igneous agencies;
as,
volcanic
tufa
.
3.
Changed or affected by the heat of a volcano.
Volcanic bomb
,
a mass ejected from a volcano, often of molten lava having a rounded form.
Volcanic cone
,
a hill, conical in form, built up of cinders, tufa, or lava, during volcanic eruptions.
Volcanic foci
,
the subterranean centers of volcanic action; the points beneath volcanoes where the causes producing volcanic phenomena are most active.
Volcanic glass
,
the vitreous form of lava, produced by sudden cooling; obsidian. See
Obsidian
.
Volcanic mud
,
fetid, sulphurous mud discharged by a volcano.
Volcanic rocks
,
rocks which have been produced from the discharges of volcanic matter, as the various kinds of basalt, trachyte, scoria, obsidian, etc., whether compact, scoriaceous, or vitreous.

Webster 1828 Edition


Volcanic

VOLCAN'IC

,
Adj.
[from volcano.]
1.
Pertaining to volcanoes; as volcanic heat.
2.
Produced by a volcano; as volcanic tufa.
3.
Changed or affected by the heat of a volcano.

Definition 2024


volcanic

volcanic

See also: volcànic

English

Adjective

volcanic (not comparable)

  1. (geology, planetology) of or pertaining to a volcano or volcanoes
    volcanic heat.
    volcanic activity.
  2. (geology, planetology) produced by a volcano, or, more generally, by igneous agencies
    volcanic tufa
    volcanic ash
  3. (geology, planetology) changed or affected by the heat of a volcano.
  4. (figuratively) reminiscent of a volcano; explosive, violent, full of suppressed anger, energy etc.
    • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 556:
      With that the system was complete, and ready to have its disastrous effect on Martin Luther's volcanic temper.

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

volcanic (plural volcanics)

  1. A volcanic rock.