Kilauea

American  

[kee-lou-ey-ah, -ey-uh, kil-oh-] / ˌki laʊˈeɪ ɑ, -ˈeɪ ə, ˌkɪl oʊ- /

noun

1. an active volcano on the Island of Hawaii: the youngest of the five shield volcanoes that form the island and the most active, having erupted almost continuously since 1983. 4,091 feet (1,247 meters).

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Kilauea British  

/ ˌkiːlɑːuːˈeɪə /

noun

1. a crater on the E side of Mauna Loa volcano, on SE Hawaii island: the world's largest active crater. Height: 1247 m (4090 ft). Width: 3 km (2 miles)

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Etymology

Origin of Kilauea

First recorded in 1840–45; from Hawaiian: literally, “much spreading, spewing”

Example Sentences

Kilauea is one of six active volcanoes located in the Hawaiian Islands.

From Barron's • Nov. 10, 2025

Axial Seamount, by contrast, is a volcano that, during eruptions, oozes lava — similar to the type of eruptions in Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

The little boy wandered off from his family and "in a split second, ran straight toward the 400ft cliff edge" of the Kilauea volcano, the park said.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2024

Typically the primary hazard during during Kilauea eruptions is volcanic gas, which reacts with the atmosphere to create volcanic smog, or “vog.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

When she had gathered all the dragons she went up to Kilauea and stood on the edge of the crater and called all the people below, telling them to give her the husband.

From Legends of Gods and Ghosts (Hawaiian Mythology) Collected and Translated from the Hawaiian by Westervelt, W. D. (William Drake)