Volcanic

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /vÉ’lˈkanɪk/

Origin

Borrowing from fr volcanique, from volcan; and/or directly from volcano + -ic.

Full definition of volcanic

Adjective

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.
4. 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.

Derived terms

• volcanically
• volcanicity