\Vol*ca"no\, n.; pl. {Volcanoes}. [It. volcano, vulcano,
fr. L. Vulcanus Vulkan, the god of fire. See {Vulkan}.]
(Geol.)
A mountain or hill, usually more or less conical in form,
from which lava, cinders, steam, sulphur gases, and the like,
are ejected; -- often popularly called a {burning mountain}.
Note: Volcanoes include many of the most conspicuous and
      lofty mountains of the earth, as Mt. Vesuvius in Italy
      (4,000 ft. high), Mt. Loa in Hawaii (14,000 ft.),
      Cotopaxi in South America (nearly 20,000 ft.), which
      are examples of active volcanoes. The crater of a
      volcano is usually a pit-shaped cavity, often of great
      size. The summit crater of Mt. Loa has a maximum length
      of 13,000 ft., and a depth of nearly 800 feet. Beside
      the chief crater, a volcano may have a number of
      subordinate craters.