Vesuvius

American  

[vuh-soo-vee-uhs] / vəˈsu vi əs /

noun

1. Mount, an active volcano in SW Italy, near Naples. Its eruption destroyed the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum a.d. 79. About 3,900 feet (1,190 meters).

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Vesuvius British  

/ vɪˈsuːvɪəs /

noun

1. Italian name: Vesuvio.  a volcano in SW Italy, on the Bay of Naples: first recorded eruption in 79 _ad , which destroyed Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae; numerous eruptions since then. Average height: 1220 m (4003 ft)

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Example Sentences

A market miles away from Vesuvius may have saved the lives of many who would have otherwise been in the volcano’s path of destruction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

If Vesuvius had erupted in late August, going to the market that day may well have been the best decision of many people’s lives.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

An intricate mechanical model created in 1775 to capture the explosive beauty of Italy's Mount Vesuvius has erupted to life for the very first time, 250 years after it was first imagined.

From Science Daily • Nov. 7, 2025

Pompeii was home to more than 20,000 people before Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79, burying - and preserving - much of the city, before its rediscovery in the 16th century.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2025

This building is easily 300 years old, probably more, timber-framed wattle-and-daub plaster like Wythenshawe Hall, and if anyone should drop a match or cigarette the whole place would go up like Vesuvius.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein