volatile
VOL-uh-tile
/ˈvɒlətaɪl/
Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse; (of a substance) easily evaporated at normal temperatures.
Implies an explosive or unstable quality; used for markets, tempers, and chemicals.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'volatilis', meaning 'winged' or 'flying'. In the 14th century, it referred to birds or creatures that fly. By the 17th century, it was used in chemistry for liquids that 'flew away' (evaporated) easily, and later for people with 'flighty' or unstable moods.
Word relationships
- unstable: Unstable is general; volatile implies a tendency to change suddenly or violently.
- stable: Stable implies being firmly fixed and not likely to change or fail.
Commonly confused with
- mutable: Mutable means 'can change'; volatile means 'likely to change suddenly and dangerously'.
Word family
- volatility (noun): The quality of being volatile.
Collocations
- volatile market
- volatile situation
- volatile substance
- volatile personality
Example sentences
- "Investors are nervous about the volatile nature of the tech sector this quarter." Describing the stock market.
- "He has a volatile temper, so it's best to approach him with caution when he's stressed." Describing a person's mood.
Memory hook
Think of 'Volcano'—it's volatile and can explode at any time. Ready to fly off the handle.
When not to use
Do not use for something that is simply short-lived but stable (like a 1-day sale).
Fun facts
- In computer science, 'volatile memory' (like RAM) is memory that loses its data when the power is turned off.
Related words
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