cinder cone

[ sin-der kohn ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a conical volcano with a low, steep profile, having been formed mostly by the cinders or scoria that fall from lava that has violently spewed into the air and broken into fragments. Cinder cones are often found on the flanks of shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, and calderas.

cinder cone

/ sĭn′dər /

1. A steep, conical hill consisting of glassy volcanic fragments that accumulate around and downwind from a volcanic vent. Cinder cones range in size from tens to hundreds of meters tall.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinder cone¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Hon said the eruption is contained entirely within the volcano’s cinder cone.

From Washington Times

Hon said the eruption is contained entirely within the volcano’s cinder cone.

From Seattle Times

The byway takes drivers briefly on Interstate 5 to the cities of Weed and Mount Shasta, which abut a huge cinder cone: Black Butte.

From Seattle Times

The extinct cinder cone at Pilot Butte State Park provides a panoramic view of the region’s landscape, shaped by centuries of volcanic activity and glacial carving.

From Washington Post

There, atop a 150-foot cinder cone, sits a building known as the Volcano House, a saucer-like structure that appears to have materialized from another planet or dimension.

From Los Angeles Times