Skip to content

volcan

volcano

noun vohl-KAHN Rare

Origin: Latin Vulcanus (god of fire)

Usage Note

volcan gives rise to the adjective volcanique (volcanic) and the noun volcanologie (volcanology). France has notable dormant volcanoes in the Auvergne region — the Chaîne des Puys — a UNESCO World Heritage site. Figuratively, être assis sur un volcan means 'to be sitting on a powder keg'.

Examples

"Le volcan est entré en éruption hier."

Natural Translation

The volcano erupted yesterday.

Literal Translation

The volcano entered into eruption yesterday.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic