volcanicadj.n.
/vɒlˈkanɪk/, U.S. /vɔlˈkænɪk/, /vɑlˈkænɪk/ A. adj.
I. Literal uses.
1. Discharged or ejected from a volcano; produced by or originating in volcanoes. Cf. Plutonic adj. 2.volcanic bomb, sulphur, tufa, tuff: see the second element. See also volcanic ash n. at Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > ejected volcanic material > [adjective]
volcanic1776
1776 R. E. Raspe in tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy Pref. p. xxiv Many late discoverers of Volcanos and volcanic Basaltes.
1777 G. Forster Voy. round World I. iii. iv. 591 The country being strewed with volcanic cinders.
1794 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. (ed. 2) I. 402 Of Volcanic Scoriæ... Their texture cavernous..but never fibrous.
1830 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. I. xxiii. 404 This volcanic dust when it fell was an impalpable powder.
1841 W. Spalding Italy & Ital. Islands I. 19 The winds and the birds clothe its volcanic soil with vegetation.
1867 C. L. Bloxam Chemistry 267 The ammonia which is evolved from the Tuscan boracic acid employed in this process is known in commerce as Volcanic ammonia.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 965/1 Vitreous rocks belonging to all of the above groups..exhibit the perlitic, pumiceous, spherulitic and other structures, characteristic to volcanic obsidians and pitchstones.
1952 W. J. Miller Introd. Hist. Geol. (ed. 6) xxiii. 367 An example of the great Eocene volcanic deposits is the San Juan formation, consisting of tuffs piled up to a thickness of 3000 feet.
1979 Evolution 33 687 Sheltered coves with a substratum of volcanic rock.
2010 D. A. Rothery Planets: Very Short Introd. ii. 46 These major but rare events could be capable of injecting so much volcanic gas..into the atmosphere that global climate could be severely affected.
2.
a. Of or relating to a volcano or volcanoes; caused by a volcano or volcanoes.volcanic neck, plug: see the second element.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > volcanic formations > [adjective]
volcanic1776
cryptovolcanic1910
the world > the earth > land > landscape > high land > volcano > [adjective]
Vulcanian1642
volcanian1665
vulcanic1774
volcanic1776
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > rock > igneous rock > [adjective] > volcanic
volcanized1775
volcanic1776
volcanogenic1907
1776 R. E. Raspe tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy v. 57 I do not say that all agates, jaspers, horn-flints, and finer precious stones, have been prepared by volcanic fire.
1776 W. Hamilton Campi Phlegræi I. 11 Many Islands..whose Volcanick origin seems to be evidently pointed out.
c1790 Encycl. Brit. VI. 286/1 Six days after the immense volcanic eruption in Iceland had ceased.
1817 Lady Morgan France (1818) II. viii. 347 The cause of those volcanic shocks, which finally overwhelm the island Atlantis.
1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits x. 163 Steam..vies with the volcanic forces which twisted the strata.
1877 T. H. Huxley Physiography 189 At the mouth of the volcanic pipe, there is usually a funnel-shaped opening known as the crater.
1925 J. Park Text-bk. Geol. (ed. 2) ii. 16 Hutton..considered crustal movements as due to extreme heat and expansion supplemented by volcanic disturbance and earthquakes.
1989 Nature 2 Nov. 18/2 Four cycles of explosive volcanic activity in the last 250 thousand years deposited glassy and pumiceous silts.
2010 Countryfile Feb. 58/1 Basalt is the rockstar hereabouts, the overspill from a vast volcanic explosion 60 million years ago.
b. Of land, a region, etc.: characterized by the presence of volcanoes; formed of material produced by volcanoes. Also: of the nature of a volcano.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > high land > volcano > [adjective] > characterized by
volcanic1776
1776 R. E. Raspe tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy v. 54 The whole country is volcanic.
1831 H. T. De la Beche Geol. Man. i. 19 Hot springs are common to the volcanic districts of different parts of the world.
1832 C. Darwin Let. June in Corr. (1985) I. 240 We have already seen..St Jago where I spent three most delightful weeks of first naturalizing a Tropical Volcanic island.
1895 Physiographic Processes (National Geographic Monogr.) I. 18 This action of hot waters is known as solfataric action, and solfataric waters are quite common in volcanic regions.
1921 J. F. Chamberlain Geogr. xlvii. 482 Some of the Coast Mountains are volcanic.
1975 Eng. Jrnl. 64 81/3 The star ship Enterprise encounters a strange solar system, containing one, highly volcanic planet.
2010 E. Thorpe & S. Thorpe Pearson Gen. Knowl. Man. a27/2 Mt Fujiyama in Japan, Mt Vesuvius in Italy..are examples of volcanic mountains.
3. Geology. = Vulcanian adj. 4. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > earth sciences > theory of formation of earth > [adjective] > internal heat
volcanic1776
Vulcanian1803
volcanian1804
1776 R. E. Raspe tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy v. 60 In spite of our ultramontane mineralogists..they explain all by their volcanic system.
1793 Earl of Dundonald Descr. Estate Culross 31 It is a field well worth being explored by a volcanic Mineralist.
1803 Trans. Royal Irish Acad. 9 Science 463 M. St. Fond, as zealous a partizan of the Volcanic Theory, as either of our gentlemen is of the Huttonian.
1825 J. Van Rensselaer Lect. Geol. vi. 213 The disciples of Hutton, or the volcanic school, conjecture that after these strata were hardened, they were elevated with the primary rocks.
1887 Jrnl. Speculative Philos. 21 173 Mephisto proceeds in bitter earnest to rehearse the volcanic theory of geology.
1989 Linen Hall Rev. Spring 8/3 One might indeed discuss Neptunic theory as it related to the Polish salt mines as against the volcanic theory, but Russell remained ‘of no theory except the account contained in the scriptures’.
4. Concerning volcanoes and their activity; concerned with the study of volcanoes.
ΚΠ
1794 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. (ed. 2) I. 453 Collini, who twice ascended Vesuvius and witnessed its eruptions, complained that he was thereby no way forwarded in volcanic knowledge.
1828 R. Duppa Trav. Italy 94 Vesuvius..makes a great feature in volcanic history.
1892 E. Whymper Trav. Great Andes Equator vi. 122 I..contrasted the dicta of various eminent authorities to shew how little volcanic knowledge had advanced.
1929 Science 29 Mar. 351/2 In addition to the leader there will be six geologists, one botanist and two specialists in volcanic studies.
2000 Leicester Mercury (Nexis) 4 Apr. 9 Volcanic experts in Japan were today fearful the worst eruption of Mount Usu is still to come.
II. Figurative uses.
5. figurative.
a. Of the mind, the emotions (esp. anger), etc.: intensely passionate or explosive; full of latent or suppressed violence or fury. Also occasionally of a person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > violent emotion > [adjective] > full of suppressed violence
volcanic1793
1793 H. Boyd Poems 546 Blasphemy, with deep, volcanic rage, Seem'd war with heaven.
1807 I. D'Israeli Curiosities of Lit. 1st Ser. (ed. 5) II. 71 His volcanic head flamed with imagination.
1871 C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David II. Ps. xxxix. 3 His volcanic soul was tossed with an inward ocean of fire.
1872 H. P. Liddon Some Elements Relig. i. 4 The tremendous force of the volcanic passions latent in human nature.
1883 Harper's Mag. July 243/2 Besant. But Hugo reaches as high and goes as deep as anybody... Spencer. But isn't he rather—rather volcanic.
1921 C. T. Jackson in B. Williams O. Henry Prize Stories of 1921 (1922) 31 He burst out again with his volcanic fury at the green and purple horde.
1977 E. Stevenson Park Maker xiv. 191 Mr Olmsted's public dignity rested upon a seething mass of volcanic feeling usually hidden from view.
2008 Independent 25 Feb. 7/1 The..secretary was renowned for a volcanic temper that erupted in the faces of journalists, artists and fellow curators alike.
b. Resembling or characteristic of a volcano; esp. violently explosive, latently capable of sudden and violent activity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > high land > volcano > [adjective] > resembling
volcanic1804
1804 D. Humphreys Poem on Death Gen. Washington in Misc. Poems 176 Cloud-hid batt'ries rain'd red bullets dire, Volcanic mortars belch'd infernal fire.
a1854 H. Reed Lect. Eng. Lit. (1855) iii. 96 The revolutions were not sudden, devastating, volcanic eruptions.
1862 J. Skelton Nugæ Criticæ ix. 407 The military despotism of Napoleon was a volcanic power, which..perpetually threatened the tranquillity of Europe.
1882 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. II. 486 His [sc. Charles I's] gentleness and love of peace were ill-fitted for the volcanic age in which his lot was cast.
1932 A. Nin Let. 26 Mar. in A. Nin & H. Miller Literate Passion (1989) 36 Everybody else seemed to have the brakes on. A scene in a movie, a voice, a phrase was not for them volcanic. I never feel the brakes. I overflow.
1960 Life 13 June 99/2 America will not flourish, not in the hot winds of this volcanic age, unless it can develop a..sense of mission.
2002 M. Cheek Sex Life of my Aunt 25 An existent, if not volcanic, sex life.
B. n. In plural.
1. Geology. Rocks or rock formations of volcanic origin.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > rock > igneous rock > [noun] > volcanic rocks
volcanic1801
1801 C. Vallancy Let. 2 Apr. in Proc. Royal Irish Acad. 1857–61 (1862) 7 278 The Academy is in possession of a numerous collection of volcanics, presented by the Rev. Mr. Graydon.
1860 R. M. Copeland Country Life lxxxi. 791 Another class of rocks, the primaries and volcanics,..lie in heavy solid masses dipping into the earth at various angles.
1894 Cosmopolitan May 128 These volcanics..in most cases..have been subjected to deforming pressures which have converted them into schists.
1933 Amer. Midland Naturalist 14 356 The basal Jurassic lies in places on Noric equivalents, in others on Lower Triassic volcanics.
1977 A. Hallam Planet Earth 164/1 Most provinces of rhyolitic volcanics contain substantial amounts of rhyodacite as well as true rhyolite.
2006 D. H. Erwin Extinction iii. 93 The Xuanwei Formation, a Late Permian unit, overlies the Emeishan volcanics.
2. figurative. Eruptions or outbreaks of passion, rage, etc.
ΚΠ
1919 San Antonio (Texas) Light 9 Mar. (Sunday Mag.) Their emotional volcanics died away and there was no suicide.
1926 Contemp. Rev. Aug. 178 These politicians devoted themselves to editorial volcanics.
1958 Tucson (Arizona) Daily Citizen 11 Jan. 20/1 Maria Callas is really a Johanna-come-lately in the exercise of operatic volcanics.
Compounds
C1. Prefixed to participles and to other adjectives, as volcanic-looking, volcanic-sedimentary, etc.
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1776 R. E. Raspe in tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy Pref. p. xxiv In respect to the first scientific descriptions of the various volcanic, or volcanico-marine, or volcanic-parasitical fossils.
1854 A. R. Wallace in My Life (1905) I. xx. 335 A coarse, volcanic-looking gravel.
1893 W. H. Bishop House-hunter Europe xxii. 273 You looked over a quiet part of dull, modern Cannes and off to those volcanic-seeming mountains.
1974 Mineral. Abstr. 25 329/1 Roquesite..in veins cutting a Devonian volcanic-sedimentary succession.
1999 I. Kostov & R. I. Kostov Crystal Habits Minerals vi. 114 Conditions of cinnabar natural crystallization. The latter ranges from low-temperature hydrothermal to volcanic-fumarolic.
C2.
volcanic arc n. Geology a curved zone comprising volcanoes and volcanic or plutonic rocks, esp. one situated at the edge of a plate margin above a subduction zone; an island arc.
ΚΠ
1887 W. L. Green Vestiges Molten Globe II. iii. 50 The Aleutian line of volcanoes..meet the Asiatic and American bands exactly at right angles, and the arc of a small circle formed by them, has the same centre as the great zone of fracture parallel to the plane of the ecliptic, so that this volcanic arc is also parallel to that plane.
1938 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) B. 229 5 Few geologists to-day will fail to admit a direct connexion between volcanic arcs and tectonic movements.
1998 Nature 6 Aug. 523/3 Just occasionally, rocks in active volcanic arcs have a chemical signature which indicates that they were formed by melting of the subducted oceanic plate itself.
volcanic ash n. loose fragmented solid material ejected from a volcano, esp. (in later use) such material in the form of powder (cf. tephra n.); (also) pumice.Also (esp. in early use) in plural in same sense.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > ejected volcanic material > [noun] > ash
ash1667
pozzolana1684
volcanic ash1776
trinacrite1854
Santorin earth1868
pumicite1916
1776 R. E. Raspe tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy v. 46 Often they [sc. the lower hills] have been covered with volcanic ashes.
1794 R. Kirwan Elements Mineral. (ed. 2) I. 410 Of Volcanic Ashes, Sand, Pouzzolana [sic], Trass, Tufa, and Piperino.
1850 D. T. Ansted Elem. Course Geol. §413 Pumice or Volcanic-ash, is a light spongy modification of obsidian.
1863 H. Watts Dict. Chem. I. 420 Volcanic ash..appears to be composed of fragments of lava, slag, mica, felspar, magnetic iron ore, augite, pumice, olivine, etc.
1893 Jrnl. Amer. Geogr. Soc. N.Y. 25 160 The steamer St. Paul..passed into a black cloud of volcanic ash.
1932 Bull. Nat. Res. Council No. 89. 26 The finer, comminuted debris ejected in volcanic eruptions is commonly called volcanic ash... It has often been criticized in that it suggests the products of combustion... By many writers, the term has been more or less restricted to the finer-grained, light-colored ejecta of acidic magmas.
2010 Evening News (Edinb.) (Nexis) 15 Apr. 7 Passengers were left stranded at Edinburgh Airport today after a cloud of volcanic ash from an eruption in Iceland forced its closure.
volcanic cone n. a conical structure built up by ejecta around the vent of a volcano; a volcano of conical form; cf. cone n.1 7.
ΚΠ
1785 H. Swinburne Trav. in Two Sicilies II. lxv. 470 A long valley..locked in on every side by peaked mountains, except to the south, where the handsome volcanic cone just mentioned rises.
1853 J. F. W. Herschel Pop. Lect. Sci. (1873) i. §43. 33 Thousands of little volcanic cones called Hornitos or ovens.
1955 R. M. Pearl How to know Minerals & Rocks 185 Andesite is represented by a series of high volcanic cones stretching from Mount Rainier..to the far tip of the Andes.
2006 A. M. Vanderwarker Farming, Hunting, & Fishing in Olmec World iii. 41 There are four large volcanoes in the region, in addition to lower peaks, volcanic cones, and foothill ridges.
volcanic crater n. = crater n. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > volcanic formations > [noun] > volcanic vent
chimneyc1374
vent1604
firepit1651
spiraculum1670
spiracle1671
solfatara1764
sulphur1764
volcanic crater1776
fumarole1811
air volcano1814
mud volcano1816
salse1831
blowhole1858
pipe1877
soufrière1879
bocca1881
mofette1887
pan1888
blowing-cone1895
smoke-hole1899
fault-vent1903
1776 R. E. Raspe tr. J. J. Ferber Trav. Italy xi. 176 Near the Solfatara and the Pisciarelle, is Lago d'Agnano, an old volcanic crater.
1883 Science 5 Oct. 470/1 The island of Krakatoa itself..seems to have been shattered..; while sixteen volcanic craters have appeared above the sea between the site of that island and Sibisi Island.
1996 Motoring & Leisure (CSMA) Feb. 63/1 (advt.) Waterfalls, volcanic craters, hot springs and mud pools, set the scene for a long weekend in Iceland.
volcanic explosivity index n. a number on a logarithmic scale representing the estimated magnitude and violence of a volcanic eruption; abbreviated VEI.The index is based on the volume of material ejected, height of eruption clouds, duration of the eruption, and other factors.
ΚΠ
1981 T. Simkin et al. Volcanoes of World 20/2 Newhall and Self (in press) have integrated quantitative data with the subjective descriptions of observers to assign a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) to individual eruptions.
1982 C. G. Newhall & S. Self in Jrnl. Geophysical Res. 87 1231 A composite estimate of the magnitude of past explosive eruptions, termed the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), is proposed.
1994 Mount Rainier (Nat. Res. Council) i. 2 Mount Rainier is capable of eruptions of small to very large magnitude, as measured by the Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4 to 5 that has been tentatively assigned to the explosive eruption that occurred between 30,000 and 100,000 years ago.
2010 Daily Tel. 16 Apr. 23/1 Scientists rank volcanoes according to how explosive they are, using the volcanic explosivity index (VEI), which goes from zero to eight.
volcanic glass n. = obsidian n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > rock > igneous rock > [noun] > volcanic rocks > lava > vitreous
obsidian stone1601
pitchstonea1728
volcanic glass1780
obsidian1794
pearlstone1806
retinite1808
marekanite1818
perlite1833
Pele's hair1844
Pele's tears1930
1780 W. Hamilton in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 70 82 Those bubbles, being thin, shewed that this volcanic glass has the kind of transparency of our common glass bottles.
1895 Argosy Nov. 175/2 It is a columnar structure several hundred feet high composed entirely of volcanic glass.
2005 M. Bjornerud Reading Rocks ii. 40 What forms is obsidian, or volcanic glass, an amorphous (non-crystalline) solid that is structurally still a liquid.
volcanic iron n. [after French fer volcanique (1791 or earlier)] now rare iron minerals deposited by fumaroles or resulting from other volcanic activity, spec. haematite or (occasionally) metallic iron.
ΚΠ
1800 Philos. Mag. 7 182 He [sc. Haüy] had already announced, in an extract from his treatise, that the crystals of volcanic iron were not segments of the regular octaedron, as believed.
1815 A. Aikin Man. Mineral. (ed. 2) 99 Volcanic or Specular Iron occurs in very compressed and irregular crystals.
1911 F. G. Carpenter How World Housed xvii. 155 Iron is never pure as it lies in the earth, although in Greenland a ledge of almost pure volcanic iron is known to exist.
Derivatives
volˈcanic-like adj.
ΚΠ
1800 J. Leyden Jrnl. Tour Highlands 20 Aug. (1903) 132 The red conical top of the volcanic-like hill.
1906 M. Everett Compl. Story San Francisco Earthquake vii. 101 For many miles north from Los Angeles miniature geysers were reported from which volcanic-like streams of hot mud were spouting.
1999 Western Daily Press (Bristol) (Nexis) 2 July 44 Importantly, particularly for a player who has been known for his volcanic-like temper in the past, Hussain remained composed and controlled.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.n.1776