volatile

[ vol-uh-tl, -tilor, especially British, -tahyl ]

adjective

1. evaporating rapidly; passing off readily in the form of vapor:

   Acetone is a volatile solvent.

2. tending or threatening to break out into open violence; explosive:

   a volatile political situation.

   Synonyms: unsettled, unstable, eruptive

3. changeable; mercurial; flighty:

   a volatile disposition.

4. (of prices, values, etc.) tending to fluctuate sharply and regularly:

   volatile market conditions.

5. fleeting; transient:

   volatile beauty.

6. Computers. of or relating to storage that does not retain data when electrical power is turned off or fails.
7. able to fly or flying.

noun

1. a volatile substance, as a gas or solvent.

volatile

/ ˌvɒləˈtɪlɪtɪ; ˈvɒləˌtaɪl /

adjective

1. (of a substance) capable of readily changing from a solid or liquid form to a vapour; having a high vapour pressure and a low boiling point
2. (of persons) disposed to caprice or inconstancy; fickle; mercurial
3. (of circumstances) liable to sudden, unpredictable, or explosive change
4. lasting only a short time

   volatile business interests

5. computing (of a memory) not retaining stored information when the power supply is cut off
6. obsolete.
   flying or capable of flight; volant

noun

1. a volatile substance
2. rare.
   a winged creature

volatile

/ vŏl′ə-tl /

1. Changing easily from liquid to vapor at normal temperatures and pressures. Essential oils used in perfumes are highly volatile.

Derived Forms

• ˈvolatileness, noun

Other Words From

• vol·a·til·i·ty [vol-, uh, -, til, -i-tee], vola·tile·ness noun
• nonvol·a·tili·ty noun
• semi·vola·tile adjective
• un·vola·tile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of volatile¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin volātilis, equivalent to volāt(us) “flown,” past participle of volāre “to fly” + -ilis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of volatile¹

C17: from Latin volātīlis flying, from volāre to fly

Example Sentences

The two men sat in the Oval Office and shook hands, a somewhat disorienting image given their history of volatile public feuds.

From Salon

In May, Israel’s ambassador to the UN wrote to the secretary-general to complain about Syrian violations, including “armed presence in the area of separation” which “only heighten tensions in our already volatile region”.

From BBC

Jones worked with leading rappers in the 80s, and in the 90s he recognised risks including a volatile rivalry that had begun to erupt between competing labels and stars.

From BBC

Jones wrote in his now-out-of-print 2001 autobiography: "I had been concerned about the potentially volatile diversity of a group who'd never been in the same room together."

From BBC

Reilly, who plays the troubled and volatile Beth Dutton, says she would "love" to keep playing her character, but any spin-off "would be a new beginning somewhere".

From BBC

Related Words

• capricious
• elusive
• erratic
• fickle
• resilient
• ticklish
• unsettled
• unstable