caldera

noun cal·de·ra \ 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

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Recent Examples of caldera from the Web

New Zealand just happens to have eight caldera-forming volcanoes.

— chris lee, Ars Technica, "Plugging in to a volcano: Geothermal power and the science that enables it," 11 Oct. 2017
After analyzing minerals in fossilized ash from the most recent mega-eruption, researchers at Arizona State University think the supervolcano last woke up after two influxes of fresh magma flowed into the reservoir below the caldera.

— National Geographic, "Yellowstone Supervolcano May Rumble to Life Faster Than Thought," 11 Oct. 2017
Hot lava poured into the caldera and hardened into basalt cap.

— brigid schulte, miamiherald, "Topping off a resort vacation on Oregon’s Smith Rock | Miami Herald," 4 Nov. 2017
Overlooking the island's caldera, this boutique hotel comprises 22 (nearly) all-white rooms that mimic the whitewashed homes hugging the island's coast.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Chromata Up-Style Hotel," 20 Oct. 2017
About 630,000 years ago, a powerful eruption shook the region, spewing forth 240 cubic miles’ worth of rock and ash and creating the Yellowstone caldera, a volcanic depression 40 miles wide that now cradles most of the national park.

— National Geographic, "Yellowstone Supervolcano May Rumble to Life Faster Than Thought," 11 Oct. 2017
Here is the term for the roiling, spattering 2,000-degree Fahrenheit liquid rock visible in the caldera of Kilauea volcano this afternoon: lava lake.

— elyse butler, Smithsonian, "Hawaii’s Must-See Lava Flows Are Home to New, Startling Ecosystems," 29 Apr. 2017
After analyzing minerals in fossilized ash from the most recent mega-eruption, researchers at Arizona State University think the supervolcano last woke up after two influxes of fresh magma flowed into the reservoir below the caldera.

— adam k. raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "Yellowstone’s Supervolcano Might Erupt Soon, But Not Soon Enough to End Your Misery," 12 Oct. 2017
While a handful of smaller belches and quakes have periodically filled the caldera with lava and ash, the last one happened about 70,000 years ago.

— National Geographic, "Yellowstone Supervolcano May Rumble to Life Faster Than Thought," 11 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caldera.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

A large, bowl-shaped volcanic depression, a caldera forms when the top of a volcanic cone collapses into the space left after magma is ejected during a violent volcanic eruption. Its diameter is many times that of the original vent. The term is Spanish for "caldron." Subsequent minor eruptions may build small cones on the floor of the caldera, and the caldera may still later fill up with water; an example of this is Crater Lake in Oregon.