caldera

cal·de·ra

noun \kal-ˈder-ə, kȯl-, -ˈdir-\

Definition of CALDERA

: a volcanic crater that has a diameter many times that of the vent and is formed by collapse of the central part of a volcano or by explosions of extraordinary violence

Origin of CALDERA

Spanish, literally, caldron, from Late Latin caldaria — more at cauldron

First Known Use: 1691

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with CALDERA

Herrera, mascara, Ribera, Rivera, Sahara, sierra, tiara

caldera

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Large, bowl-shaped volcanic depression that forms when the top of a volcanic cone collapses into the space left after magma is ejected during a violent volcanic eruption. The term is Spanish for “caldron.” Subsequent minor eruptions may build small cones on the floor of the caldera which may still later fill up with water; an example is Crater Lake in Oregon.