Vulcanian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Of or pertaining to Vulcan, the Roman deity of fire and metalworking ; describing a volcanic eruption marked by intense explosions and ejection of fragmented material
2. Relating to Vulcan in Roman mythology, god of fire and the forge ; characteristic of a Vulcanian eruption, which is violently explosive and produces pyroclastic flows
3. Connected with Vulcan, the Roman fire god ; denoting a mode of volcanism involving powerful detonations and the discharge of incandescent rock fragments

Etymology: Vulcanian is named after Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian group off Sicily, whose name in turn comes from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking. The island gave its name to volcanic eruptions in general: the word "volcano" itself took its sense from Vulcano. The adjective describes a particular style of eruption, one that throws up thick, sticky lava that clogs the vent and builds a pressure that finally blows out in violent explosions, sending ash and rock high into the air. The term was tied to the Italian volcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli, who studied the 1888–90 eruptions on Vulcano, and his observations gave the category its shape. Italian used "vulcaniano" for the same idea, and English drew on that usage, building the adjective by adding the suffix "-ian" to Vulcan. A near-twin of the word, "volcanian," arose from the same root through a different route, so the two forms sit side by side in English as doublets.

Synonyms: volcanic