German word

Vulkan

Pronunciation

IPA/vʊlˈkaːn/

Meaning

  • masculine nounvolcano

Example

In dieser Region gibt es viele Vulkane.

There are many volcanoes in this region.

Illustration for Vulkan (volcano)

More examples

Der Vulkan zeigte anhaltende Aktivität.

The volcano showed sustained activity.

Core concept

A mountain or opening in the Earth's crust sends magma, ash, and gases from underground to the surface during an eruption.

Common phrases

  • aktiver Vulkan

    active volcano

  • schlafender Vulkan

    dormant volcano

  • ausbrechender Vulkan

    erupting volcano

Similar words

Lava: Hot molten rock that flows onto the surface during an eruption.
Asche: Fine particles of ash scattered through the air by an eruption.
Krater: A sunken hollow at the top of a volcano or in the ground.
Magma: Hot molten rock found deep beneath Earth's surface.

Definition in German

Vulkan bezeichnet eine Stelle in der Erdkruste, an der Magma bei einem Ausbruch an die Oberfläche gelangt.

Word origin

German Vulkan comes from Latin vulcanus, linked to Vulcanus, the Roman god of fire, and entered modern scientific vocabulary as a geological term.

Usage tips

  • Vulkan is masculine, with the plural Vulkane; an eruption is commonly expressed with ausbrechen, as in Der Vulkan ist ausgebrochen.

Related words

  • vulkanischvolcanicadjective
  • Vulkanismusvolcanismnoun
  • Vulkanologievolcanologynoun

Word lists with this word