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shield volcano
noun
: a broad rounded volcano that is built up by successive outpourings of very fluid lava see volcano illustration
Examples of shield volcano in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kilauea, a shield volcano located on Hawaii’s Big Island and one of Earth’s most active, erupted again early on Monday morning, albeit timidly.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2024
Be sure to do the Frigate Bird Hill hike on San Cristobal, and on Isabela, hit the trails around Sierra Negra, an active shield volcano and one of the world's largest craters.
—Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024
The volcano also hosts a number of acidic lakes in the craters at the summit of the shield volcano.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 25 Sep. 2017
The internal structure of this shield volcano is today exposed in the Timpe fault scarps between Acireale and Moscarello.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Nov. 2019
Mauna Kea, a shield volcano in Hawaii, is technically the world's tallest mountain from base to peak.
—Jacob Livesay, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023
The 2018 eruption changed the game at the massive shield volcano that had been erupting for over 35 years prior to the fissures opening in Leilani Estates.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2020
The shield volcano, a broad and gently sloping variety, began sending fiery yellow fountains of lava into the air starting around 4:44 a.m.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 June 2023
Types of volcanoes Mauna Loa is a shield volcano, built up over thousands of years through lava eruptions.
—Rachel Beane, The Conversation, 1 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shield volcano.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1911, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near shield volcano
Cite this Entry
“Shield volcano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shield%20volcano. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
shield volcano
noun
: a broad rounded volcano that is built up from many layers of lava
More from Merriam-Webster on shield volcano
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shield volcano
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