Plinian eruption

noun

A type of volcanic eruption marked by the ejection of large columns of volcanic debris and gases into the stratosphere; particularly large amounts of pumice, caused by a very powerful, gas-driven eruption.

Similar
Vesuvian eruption
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounPlinian eruption (plural Plinian eruptions)

plural Plinian eruptions

  1. geographyA type of volcanic eruption marked by the ejection of large columns of volcanic debris and gases into the stratosphere; particularly large amounts of pumice, caused by a very powerful, gas-driven eruption.

    Synonyms: Vesuvian eruption

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA type of volcanic eruption marked by the ejection of large columns of volcanic debris and gases into the stratosphere; particularly large amounts of pumice, caused by a very powerful, gas-driven eruption.

Similar
Vesuvian eruption

Origin

Named for the description given by Pliny the Younger of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., which has been taken as archetypical of this type of eruption.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 普林尼式噴發 /普林尼式喷发
  • 普林尼式噴發 /普林尼式喷发 (pǔlínníshì pēnfā)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

Plinian eruption. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Plinian%20eruption

MLA

“Plinian eruption.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Plinian%20eruption. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Plinian eruption,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Plinian%20eruption.

Source: Plinian eruption on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.