shield volcano

[ sheeld vol-key-noh ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a volcano formed entirely from accumulated flows of fluid lava, growing a few feet at a time and giving the volcano its broad, gently sloping profile.

shield volcano

noun

1. a broad volcano built up from the repeated nonexplosive eruption of basalt to form a low dome or shield, usually having a large caldera at the summit

shield volcano

1. See under volcano

Word History and Origins

Origin of shield volcano¹

First recorded in 1910–15; translation of German Schildvulkan, from the resemblance of the volcano to an upturned circular shield

Example Sentences

The shield volcano responsible for the destruction was active just before and after the asteroid impact that drew the curtains on the Cretaceous, and both are thought to have contributed to the extinctions that followed.

From Science Daily

Mauna Kea is a dormant 14,000-foot shield volcano.

From Washington Times

"The Eyjafjallajokull eruption of 2010 was quite different as it was associated with a shield volcano topped by a glacier. It was the interaction of the magma with ice and melt water that made that eruption so explosive and dangerous for aviation. This is not the case for Fagradalsfjall", said Dr Michele Paulatto, volcanologist at Imperial College London.

From BBC

Kilauea first formed underwater roughly 280,000 years ago, according to the National Park Service, and it is considered to be a fairly typical shield volcano, named for its gentle slopes that resemble a shield lying on the ground.

From New York Times

It would be like Mount St. Helens, a steep stratovolcano that can erupt explosively, sending dirt, rock and sodium into the atmosphere, erupting on Earth, rather than Mauna Loa, a gently-sloped shield volcano that erupts with liquid lava flows.

From New York Times