volatile
Say it: VOL-uh-tyle /ˈvɒlətaɪl/ · adjective
What “volatile” means
Likely to change suddenly and unpredictably.
More precisely: Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably; in chemistry, evaporating easily.
When to use it
In serious discussion, for prices, moods or situations that swing quickly and are hard to predict.
It can also mean
In chemistry, a volatile substance evaporates easily, turning from liquid into vapour.
Similar words
unstable, unpredictable, erratic
Where it comes from
From Latin volatilis, from volare, 'to fly'.
Quick check
A market price shoots up, plunges, then rises again within minutes, with no steady pattern. How would you describe it?
volatile or variable?
Show the answer
volatile
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