volatile (redirected from volatile sulfur compounds)

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 [voll-a-tile]

Adjective

1. (of circumstances) liable to sudden change

2. (of people) liable to sudden changes of mood and behaviour

3. (of a substance) changing quickly from a solid or liquid form to a vapour [Latin volare to fly]

volatility 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 << OPPOSITE stable

adjective 2. temperamental, erratic, mercurial, up and down (informal) fickle, whimsical, giddy, flighty, over-emotional, inconstant << OPPOSITE calm

Translations

volatile [ˈvɔlətaɪl] adj → volátil;

(COMPUT) [memory] → no permanente

volatile [ˈvɔlətaɪl] adj → volatil(e) (fig) [person] → versatile: [situation] → explosif/ive

volatile [ˈvɔlətaɪl] adj (person) → impulsiv;

(situation) → unsicher;

(liquid etc) → flüchtig

volatile [ˈvɔlətaɪl] adj → volatile;

(fig) → volubile