shield volcano

noun

: a broad rounded volcano that is built up by successive outpourings of very fluid lava see volcano illustration

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web This is unlike Kīlauea, a shield volcano at a hotspot, where lava flows are the dominant product. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2018 The shield volcano's base is roughly 19,700 feet underwater, USGS reports. Jacob Livesay, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023 The volcanic vent is part of the larger Maat Mons volcano system, a huge shield volcano that rises three miles above the surrounding plains. $100M Magic: Why Bruno Mars And Other Stars Are Ditching Their Managers TSMC Vs. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2023 This tropical paradise consists of a massive shield volcano, which covers a great portion of the island of Maui, and also includes abundant waterfalls and rain forests. Giovanna Caravetta, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2023 Such drones could one day provide access to terrain that is too remote or rugged for rovers to reach—like Mars’s Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the solar system, or its Olympus Mons shield volcano, which is about 2.5 times the height of Mount Everest. Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, 19 Apr. 2021 Currently, a small submarine shield volcano named Loihi lurks off the southeastern coast of Hawai'i. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2016 That’s roughly double the volume of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the previous record-holder for largest shield volcano on the planet. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2021 Ethiopia's Erta Ale is a shield volcano whose profile is large and low. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2016 See More

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of shield volcano was in 1911

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 31 May. 2023.

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

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