volatile

Intermediatezipf 3.72

Pronunciation

/ˈvɒlətaɪl/(VOL-uh-tile)

Part of speech

adjectiveneutral

Chinese

① 易变的；不稳定的 ② 易挥发的（化学）③ 易怒的（性格）

Definition

Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably; easily evaporated; emotionally unstable.

Word family

  • volatility/ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/(n)波动性

Collocations

  • volatile market
  • volatile situation
  • volatile temper
  • volatile substance

Examples

  1. 1.The stock market has been extremely volatile this quarter. (unpredictable)
  2. 2.Gasoline is a volatile liquid that evaporates quickly. (chemistry)
  3. 3.His volatile personality makes him difficult to work with. (emotionally unstable)

Synonyms

  • unstable/ʌnˈsteɪbl/— not steady
  • unpredictable/ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl/— can't be foreseen
  • erratic/ɪˈrætɪk/— irregular and unpatterned

Etymology

from Latin "volatilis" = flying — volare (to fly) — things that fly away quickly