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Plinian

Pronunciation: /ˈplɪnɪən/
Definition of Plinian

adjective

Geology
  • relating to or denoting a type of volcanic eruption in which a narrow stream of gas and ash is violently ejected from a vent to a height of several miles.

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Italian pliniano, with reference to the eruption of Vesuvius in ad 79, in which Pliny the Elder died

Plinian in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of Plinian in the US English dictionary
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