plinian

English

Etymology

From Pliny +‎ -an.

Adjective

plinian (not comparable)

1. (of a volcanic eruption) Descriptive of a style of volcanic eruption similar in character and in intensity to that of the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius witnessed by Pliny the Younger.
   • 1988 July, J. E. Guest, A. M. Duncan, D. K. Chester, “Monte Vulture Volcano (Basilicata, Italy): an analysis of morphology and volcaniclastic facies”, in Bulletin of Volcanology‎, volume 50, number 4, Springer Science+Business Media, →DOI, archived from the original on 8 June 2018, pages 244–257:

     The earliest activity of Monte Vulture, central Italy, included ignimbrites but the bulk of the volcano was built up by plinian airfall deposits.

Derived terms

• subplinian
• ultraplinian

Further reading

• Plinian eruption on Wikipedia.Wikipedia