[
UK
/vˈɒlɐtˌaɪl/
]
[ US /ˈvɑɫətəɫ/ ]
[ US /ˈvɑɫətəɫ/ ]
ADJECTIVE
-
evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures
volatile solvents
volatile oils -
tending to vary often or widely
volatile stocks
volatile emotions -
liable to lead to sudden change or violence
an explosive issue
a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation -
marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments
a flirt's volatile affections
fickle friends
NOUN
-
a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor
it was heated to evaporate the volatiles
How To Use volatile In A Sentence
- He experimented by exposing paraffin wax to crushed Salvia leaves and found the solid wax readily adsorbed the volatile terpenes from the air.
- He experimented by exposing paraffin wax to crushed Salvia leaves and found the solid wax readily adsorbed the volatile terpenes from the air.
- Since nitroglycerin is moderately volatile and adsorbs to plastic, the sublingual tablets must be stored in tightly closed glass containers.
- Extractive matter. Alcohol soluble, other solvents, nonvolatile ether extractive.
- Training crossing guards to spot and defuse volatile situations is one of the options being explored. Times, Sunday Times
- No. (2) The term spice means any aromatic vegetable substance in the whole, broken, or ground form, except for those substances which have been traditionally regarded as foods, such as onions, garlic and celery; whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutritional; that is true to name; and from which no portion of any volatile oil or other flavoring principle has been removed. Home Ec 101
- Plato remarks in The Republic that bad characters are volatile and interesting, whereas good characters are dull and always the same.
- Second, real economic conditions within Europe are likely to be more variable and volatile.
- Such are your own and your friends’ impressions; and behold! there starts up a little man, differing diametrically from all these, roundly charging you with being too airy and cheery — too volatile and versatile — too flowery and coloury. Villette
- Communication of aphid attack between plants has recently been shown to involve other volatiles.