phreatic

American  

[free-at-ik] / friˈæt ɪk /

adjective

Geology.

1. noting or pertaining to groundwater.

2. noting or pertaining to explosive volcanic activity involving steam derived from groundwater.

   a phreatic explosion.

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phreatic British  

/ frɪˈætɪk /

adjective

1. geography of or relating to ground water occurring below the water table Compare vadose

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Etymology

Origin of phreatic

First recorded in 1890–95; from Greek phreat- (stem of phréar ) “artificial well” + -ic

Example Sentences

Outside the permanent danger zone, the volcanology institute warned people including those living on the vulnerable southeastern side of the volcano to stay alert “due to the increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2022

Dominica last suffered major phreatic or steam-drive volcanic eruptions in 1997, and before that in 1880.

From Reuters • Sep. 18, 2020

There haven't been any large eruptions at White Island Volcano since the deadly phreatic eruption on December 9th, 2019.

From Scientific American • Jan. 25, 2020

"It's possible that there's no magma involved, that it's just a phreatic eruption - a steam eruption. We don't know yet."

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2019

A landslide of that size, or a quite large earthquake, might trigger something very different from the phreatic throat-clearing St. Helens was doing now.

From Scientific American • Jul. 7, 2012