Vulcanian

adj

Etymology: Directly from Latin Vulcāniānus or from Latin Vulcānius + -an within English, from Vulcānus + -iānus (“-ian”) or -ius (“-y: forming adjectives”). In reference to a type or stage of volcanic activity, via Italian Vulcaniano, with specific reference to Giuseppe Mercalli's observations of the 1888–90 eruptions of the Aeolian island Vulcano. Equivalent to Vulcan + -ian. Doublet of volcanian. Compare slightly earlier Middle French vulcanien.

1. Of, related to, or created by Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalwork, considered equivalent to the Greek Hephaestus and several German and Celtic gods.

   “...Nor cou'd Vulcanian Flame The Stench abolish; or the Savour tame...”

2. Of, related to, or created by Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalwork, considered equivalent to the Greek Hephaestus and several German and Celtic gods.

   “Yet Muto, like a good Vulcanian, An honest Cuckold, calls the bastard sonne, And brags of that which others for him done.”

3. Alternative letter-case form of vulcanian, of or related to metalwork, blacksmithing, and metallurgy.

   “A sabre, when the warrior press'd to part,”

4. Alternative letter-case form of vulcanian, volcanic, of or related to volcanoes and volcanism.

   “Solinus reports it of the Vulcanian Hill in Sicily, that they which offered Sacrifice upon it, never put fire to it, but expected it should be kindled from Heaven.”

5. Alternative letter-case form of vulcanian, volcanic, of or related to volcanoes and volcanism.

   “In his six lectures on Volcanos, [Faujas] exhausted the subject, and showed us the difference of the several systems, the Vulcanian, the Neptunian, and the Huttonian, which is the Plutonian, and his own opinion.”

   “The Vulcanian or Plutonian theory, which ascribes the changes on earth's surface to the agency of fire.”

6. Alternative letter-case form of vulcanian, volcanic, of or related to volcanoes and volcanism.

   “Just as we have the ‘Plinian’ or ‘Vesuvian’ eruptions of Vesuvius accompanied by violent outbursts of ‘ashes’ and welling out of lava, and the incessant, milder ‘Strombolian’ type of eruption, so we may distinguish a ‘Vulcanian’ type.”

7. Of or related to the proposed planet Vulcan or a cluster of asteroids at the same location in the Solar System.