volatile

vol·a·tile  (vl-tl, -tl)

adj.

1. Chemistry

a. Evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures.

b. That can be readily vaporized.

2.

a. Tending to vary often or widely, as in price: the ups and downs of volatile stocks.

b. Inconstant; fickle: a flirt's volatile affections.

c. Lighthearted; flighty: in a volatile mood.

d. Ephemeral; fleeting.

3. Tending to violence; explosive: a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation.

4. Flying or capable of flying; volant.

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[French, from Old French, from Latin voltilis, flying, from voltus, past participle of volre, to fly.]

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vola·tile n.

vola·tili·ty (-tl-t), vola·tile·ness (-tl-ns, -tl-) n.

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volatile [ˈvɒləˌtaɪl]

adj

1. (Chemistry) (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. (Electronics & Computer Science / Computer Science) Computing (of a memory) not retaining stored information when the power supply is cut off

6. Obsolete flying or capable of flight; volant

n

1. (Chemistry) a volatile substance

2. Rare a winged creature

[from Latin volātīlis flying, from volāre to fly]

volatileness , volatility [ˌvɒləˈtɪlɪtɪ] n

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volatile  (vl-tl)

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

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	volatile - a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor; "it was heated to evaporate the volatiles" substance - the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; "DNA is the substance of our genes"
Adj.	1.	volatile - evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures; "volatile oils"; "volatile solvents" chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions inconstant - likely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable; "inconstant affections"; "an inconstant lover"; "swear not by...the inconstant moon"- Shakespeare nonvolatile, nonvolatilisable, nonvolatilizable - not volatilizing readily; "a nonvolatile acid"
	2.	volatile - liable to lead to sudden change or violence; "an explosive issue"; "a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation" explosive unstable - lacking stability or fixity or firmness; "unstable political conditions"; "the tower proved to be unstable in the high wind"; "an unstable world economy"
	3.	volatile - marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments; "fickle friends"; "a flirt's volatile affections" fickle inconstant - likely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable; "inconstant affections"; "an inconstant lover"; "swear not by...the inconstant moon"- Shakespeare
	4.	volatile - tending to vary often or widely; "volatile stocks"; "volatile emotions" changeful, changeable - such that alteration is possible; having a marked tendency to change; "changeable behavior"; "changeable moods"; "changeable prices"

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volatile

adjective

1. changeable, shifting, variable, unsettled, unstable, explosive, unreliable, unsteady, inconstant There have been riots before and the situation is volatile.
changeable stable, constant, steady, inert, settled

2. temperamental, erratic, mercurial, up and down (informal), fickle, whimsical, giddy, flighty, over-emotional, inconstant She has a volatile temperament.
temperamental calm, consistent, reliable, sober, self-controlled, dependable, cool-headed

3. unstable, explosive, inflammable, labile (technical), eruptive when volatile chemicals explode

Translations

volatile [ˈvɒlətaɪl] ADJ

1. (Chem) → volátil

2. (= unstable) [person] → voluble; [situation, atmosphere, market] → inestable, volátil

3. (Comput) volatile memory → memoria f no permanente

volatile [ˈvɒlətaɪl] adj

(= unstable) [situation, atmosphere, market] → volatil(e)

[person] → d'humeur volatile; [mood, temper] → volatil(e)

(CHEMISTRY) [liquid, chemicals, substance] → volatil(e)

volatile

adj

(Chem) → flüchtig

person (in moods) → impulsiv; (in interests) → sprunghaft; (Psych: = unpredictable) → sprunghaft; relationship → wechselhaft; political situation → brisant; (St Ex) → unbeständig; a person with a volatile temper → ein sehr unberechenbarer Mensch

(Comput) volatile memory → flüchtiger Speicher

volatile [ˈvɒləˌtaɪl] adj (Chem) → volatile (fig) (situation) → esplosivo/a; (character) → volubile

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volatile [ˈvɒləˌtaɪl] adj (Chem) → volatile (fig) (situation) → esplosivo/a; (character) → volubile