volatility
/vɒləˈtɪlɪti/noun [mass noun]
1Liability to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse: the succession of new rulers contributed to the volatility of the situation a week of historic stock market volatility...
- Banks are less eager to lend money to an industry with irrational volatility.
- Due to the volatility of the situation, managers tend to withdraw power from the working levels lest local autonomy causes dissonance.
- With that kind of price volatility we are in favor of all kinds of risk management.
1.1Liability to display rapid changes of emotion: the children have been exposed to the full force of her volatility...
- It gave me a real sense of the volatility of their relationship.
- She brings the right qualities to Cleopatra: quicksilver energy, boundless curiosity and emotional volatility.
- He plays the desperation and volatility of the character to perfection.
2Tendency of a substance to evaporate at normal temperatures: the volatility of chemicals in an indoor environment...
- In the summer, temperatures at the soil surface may exceed 140 degrees on a clear day, greatly enhancing conditions for volatility.
- Pesticide volatility increases with increasing temperature.
- Neither the volatility of chemicals in an indoor environment, nor whether pesticide residues may be absorbed by the skin during handling of flowers is addressed.
