Strombolian
- adjective
- /strɒmˈboʊliən/
- Specialized
- What's more, back in the sixties and well into the seventies, Ngauruhoe erupted in regular Strombolian bursts.
Examples
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The volcano's eruptions were characterized by Strombolian activity, sending lava and gas into the air at regular intervals.
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Scientists observed a Strombolian eruption, where bursts of lava illuminated the night sky.
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During the Strombolian eruption, the sound of gas explosions could be heard miles away from the volcano.
How Violent
Surface Forms
Morphology
Strombolian = Stromboli (semi-transparent) = Stromboli + ian
Form is clearly place name + adjectival suffix, but the specialized geological meaning 'a type of eruption' is a domain-specific extension that may not be obvious to general learners.
Etymology
Strombolian comes from the island of Stromboli, a volcano famous for steady, short bursts of lava and gas. So a Strombolian eruption means an eruption 'like' Stromboli — regular little explosions and glowing lava fountains.