ignimbrite

noun

ig·​nim·​brite ˈig-nəm-ˌbrīt How to pronounce ignimbrite (audio)
: a hard rock formed by solidification of chiefly fine deposits of volcanic ash

Examples of ignimbrite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Valley of 10,000 Smokes, showing the extensive erosion through the ignimbrite deposited in the 1912 eruption of Katmai, Alaska. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2011 The valley got its name from the degassing of the large ignimbrite that was deposited by the eruption, some hot enough to allow cooking on the fumaroles (see below) in the years after the event. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2011 Its largest eruption put down a 200m thick layer of ignimbrite—a frozen foam of volcanic ash, rock, and gas—over much of the central north island. Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 16 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

German Ignimbrit, from Latin ignis + imbr- (from imber rain) + German -it -ite entry 1 — more at imbricate

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ignimbrite was in 1932

Dictionary Entries Near ignimbrite

Cite this Entry

“Ignimbrite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignimbrite. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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