nuée ardente

[ French ny-ey ar-dahnt ]
/ French nü eɪ arˈdɑ̃t /

noun, plural nu·ées ar·dentes [French ny-ey zar-dahnt] /French nü eɪ zarˈdɑ̃t/. Geology.

(in a volcanic eruption) a swiftly flowing, dense cloud of hot gases, ashes, and lava fragments.

Origin of nuée ardente

1900–05; < French: literally, burning cloud

Words nearby nuée ardente

nux vomica, nuxalk, nuyorican, nuyts land, nuzzle, nuée ardente, nv, nvcjd, nvq, nw, nwbn

British Dictionary definitions for nuee ardente

nuée ardente
/ (ˈnyeɪ ɑːˈdɑ̃t) /

noun

a rapidly moving turbulent incandescent cloud of gas, ash, and rock fragments flowing close to the ground after violent ejection from a volcano See also ignimbrite

Word Origin for nuée ardente

C20: from French, literally: burning cloud

Scientific definitions for nuee ardente

nuée ardente
[ nōō-ā′ ăr-däɴt′ ]

Plural nuées ardentes (nōō-āz′ ăr-däɴt′)

A fast moving gaseous cloud of hot ashes and other material thrown out from an erupting volcano. Nuées ardentes are often incandescent.