Vulcan

[ vuhl-kuh n ]
/ ˈvʌl kən /

noun

the ancient Roman god of fire and metalworking, identified with the Greek Hephaestus.
Military. a six-barrel, 20mm U.S. Army antiaircraft gun system mounted on an armored personnel carrier and first deployed in 1968.
Astronomy. a hypothetical planet nearest the sun whose existence was erroneously postulated to account for perturbations in Mercury's orbit.

Origin of Vulcan

First recorded in 1505–15, Vulcan is from the Latin word Vulcānus

Example sentences from the Web for vulcan

British Dictionary definitions for vulcan (1 of 2)

Vulcan 1
/ (ˈvʌlkən) /

noun

the Roman god of fire and metalworking Greek counterpart: Hephaestus

Derived forms of Vulcan

Vulcanian (vʌlˈkeɪnɪən), adjective

British Dictionary definitions for vulcan (2 of 2)

Vulcan 2
/ (ˈvʌlkən) /

noun

a hypothetical planet once thought to lie within the orbit of Mercury

Derived forms of Vulcan

Vulcanian (vʌlˈkeɪnɪən), adjective

Cultural definitions for vulcan

Vulcan

[Greek name Hephaestus]

The Roman and Greek god of fire and metalworking; the blacksmith of the gods. He suffered bodily deformities and lameness. According to some stories, he was married to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty; in other stories, he was married to one of the three Graces. Vulcan was a son of Jupiter.