solfatara

See also: Solfatara and solfatară

English

a solfatara in New Zealand

Etymology

From Solfatara, the name of a volcano near Naples, from Italian solfo (sulphur).

Noun

solfatara (plural solfataras or solfatare)

  1. An area of volcanic activity that gives off sulfurous steam. [from 18th c.]
    • 1778, Johann Reinhold Forster, Observations Made During a Voyage Round the World, on Physical Geography, Natural History, and Ethic Philosophy, page 25:
      Under these solfataras, (which, at each eruption from the volcano, emitted greater quantities of hot steams) are several hot wells, close to the high-water mark, which, however, seem not to be in the least sulphureous.
    • 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 24:
      Holmes calls these active vents solfataras, so evidently we are at the type locality for this kind of thing.
    • 2000, Tony Waltham, “Geyser watching”, in Geology Today, volume 16, number 3, page 97:
      Vents that produce steam alone are fumaroles, or solfataras if laden with sulphur; impressive, but rarely exciting, they are more common on drier volcanoes than in hydrothermal basins.

Hypernyms

Translations

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin solfatara.

Pronunciation

Noun

solfatara f (plural solfatares)

  1. (volcanology) solfatara

Further reading

Italian

Noun

solfatara f (plural solfatare)

  1. Alternative form of zolfatara

Derived terms

  • solfatariano
  • solfataro
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