noun
volcano
vol-KAY-noh
noun
1
An opening in the Earth's surface, usually on a mountain, through which molten rock, ash, and gas escape from below.
"The volcano had been dormant for over a century before it erupted."
"Lava flowed down the side of the volcano toward the village."
How to Use Volcano
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA mountain or opening that erupts with lava, ash, and gas from deep underground.
Common pairings
active volcano
dormant volcano
volcano erupts
Word Forms
volcanoed past tense, volcanoes plural, volcanos plural, volcanos singular, volcanoes singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “volcano”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ had been dormant for over a century before it erupted.
Etymology
From Italian vulcano, named after Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Mediterranean itself named for Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.