volcano

Where does the word "volcano" come from? It comes from Latin Vulcanus, passing through Italian before entering English (1600s).

Volcano’s story begins in Latin: Vulcanus meant “the Roman god of fire.” The Roman god of fire and metalworking. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as vulcano. Named after the fiery Sicilian island associated with the god. It reached English by 1600s as volcano. Named after Vulcano island near Sicily, thought to be the forge of Vulcan. Today, volcano means a mountain or opening in the Earth's crust that erupts molten rock and gas.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient Vulcanus "the Roman god of fire", the Roman god of fire and metalworking.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval vulcano "a fire-spewing mountain", named after the fiery Sicilian island associated with the god.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s volcano "a mountain that erupts molten rock and gas", named after Vulcano island near Sicily, thought to be the forge of Vulcan.