Word.ws English Dictionary

Vulcan

Syllables: Vul·canUK/ˈvʌlkən/

Vulcan proper noun: the god of volcanoes and fire, especially the forge, also the patron of all craftsmen, especially blacksmiths. The Roman counterpart of Hephaestus. Also the ellipsis of Vulcan County.

Proper noun (1)

Vulcan (plural Vulcans)

  1. (Roman) The god of volcanoes and fire, especially the forge, also the patron of all craftsmen, especially blacksmiths. The Roman counterpart of Hephaestus.
    • The goddess Venus was the wife of Vulcan.
    • But I perceiue nowe that all red colloured stones are not Rubies, nether is euery one Alexander that hath a stare in his cheke, al lame men are not Vulcans, nor hooke nosed men Ciceroes, nether each professor a poet.1579, Thomas Lodge, A Defence of Poetry, Music, and Stage-Plays, […], London: […] Shakespeare Society, published 1853, →OCLC, page 15
  2. A town in Vulcan County, southern Alberta, Canada.
  3. A volcano in Papua New Guinea.
  4. A commune of Brașov County, Romania.
  5. A city in Hunedoara County, Romania.
  6. A village in the commune of Apold, Mureș County, Romania.
  7. A village in the commune of Ciuruleasa, Alba County, Romania.
  8. A ghost town in Gunnison County, Colorado.
  9. An unincorporated community in Norway Township, Dickinson County, Michigan.
  10. An unincorporated community in Iron County, Missouri.
  11. An inactive volcano in New Mexico, United States.
  12. (historical) A hypothetical planet proposed in the 19th century to exist in an orbit between Mercury and the Sun.
    • When Mercury's orbit was discovered to deviate from the predictions from Isaac Newton's laws of gravity, astronomers hypothesized the existence of planet Vulcan, whose gravity could be used to affect Mercury in such a way that Newton's laws were obeyed.2025, Neil deGrasse Tyson, “Planets, Moons, and Cosmic Debris”, in Just Visiting This Planet, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century (Science / Astronomy), Blackstone Publishing, →ISBN...

Noun (1)

Vulcan (countable and uncountable, plural Vulcans)

  1. (countable) A blacksmith; a metalworker.
    • How ſay you fryer Robert, out of what foꝛge came theſe warlike engins? they were hammered in Salamanca the ſeuenth day of March, 1602. and are as you ſee, read hote. But what Vulcan was the woꝛkeman of them?1603, [Thomas Bell], “Of His Notorious Treasons and Bloodie Trecheries”, in The Anatomie of Popish Tyrannie: […], London: […] Iohn Harison, for Richard Bankworth, […], →OCLC, book 2 […], chapter V...
    • Cingis-chan (as Haithon and others ſay, his contemporaries) was at firſt by profeſſion a Vulcan or Black-ſmith, by condition a good honeſt ſimple man: […]1638, Tho[mas] Herbert, “The History of the Great Mogull”, in Some Yeares Travels Into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique. […], 2nd edition, London: […] R[ichard] Bi[sho]p for Iacob Blome and Richard...
  2. (archaic, countable) One who is lame (unable to walk properly), especially with a twisted or otherwise misshapen leg.
    • To make you merry that are the Gods of Art, and guides vnto heauen, a number of rude Vulcans, vnweldy ſpeakers, hammer-headed clownes (for ſo it pleaſeth them in modeſtie to name themſelues) haue ſet their deformities to view, as it were in a daunce here before you.1600, Thomas Nash, “The Epilogue”, in A Pleasant Comedie, Called Summers Last Will and Testament, London: […] Simon Stafford, for Walter Burre, →OCLC, signature I2, verso
    • And therefore ſo many, who are ſiniſtrous unto Good Actions, are Ambi-dexterous unto bad, and Vulcans in virtuous Paths, Achilleſes in vitious motions.c. 1670s (date written), Thomas Brown [i.e., Thomas Browne], “Sect[ion] XX”, in John Jeffery, editor, Christian Morals, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] [A]t the University-Press, for Cornelius...
  3. (literary, obsolete) Fire; a fire.
    • Comme vn foible Vulcan, que la troupe frilleuſe / Des paſteurs laiſſe cheoir dans l’orée fueilleuſe / D’vne vaſte foreſt, ſe tient coy quelque tems, / Eſleuant des nuaux fumeuſement flottans / Sur vn humble buiſſon: puis aydé par Zephire / Fait voye rougiſſant aux efforts de ſon ire: / Monte du bas...1595 [1584], Guillaume de Saluste Seigneur du Bartas, translated by William L’Isle, Babilon, a Part of the Seconde Weeke of Guillaume de Saluste Seigneur du Bartas, with the Commentarie, and...
    • [Ὅ]ταν δὲ τὸν ἄνδρα τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἠφανισμένον ἐν θαλάττῃ καὶ μὴ τυχόντα νομίμου ταφῆς θρηνῶν λέγῃ μετριώτερον ἂν τὴν συμφορὰν ἐνεγκεῖν / Εἰ κείνου κεφαλὴν καὶ χαρίεντα μέλεα / Ἥφαιστος καθαροῖσιν ἐν εἵμασιν ἀμφεπονήθη, / τὸ πῦρ οὕτως, οὐ τὸν θεὸν προσηγόρευσε.1603 [c. 100], Plutarch, “Reading and Hearing of Poemes and Poets”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, page 30
  4. (countable, obsolete) A volcano.
    • Mas de los fuegos, que ay en Bolcanes de Indias, que tienen digna conſideracion, diraſe commodamente, quando ſe trate de la diuerſidad de tierras, donde eſſos fuegos, y bolcanes ſe hallan.1604 [1590], Ioseph Acosta, translated by E[dward] G[rimeston], “Of the Windes, Their Differences, Properties, and Causes in Generall”, in The Naturall and Morall Historie of the East and West...
    • Some think that this was a hill, on the top whereof were Lions and Vulcans of fire, about the middle was paſture and Goats, at the foot Serpents, which Bellerophon made habitable: […]1647, Alexander Ross, “Chimæra”, in Mystagogus Poeticus, or The Muses Interpreter: Explaining the Historicall Mysteries, and Mythicall Histories of the Ancient Greek and Latine Poets. […], London...

Proper noun (2)

Vulcan

  1. An inhabited planet, the homeworld of the Vulcan species.
    • Steve and I explained the new program to our children, who looked at us as if we had just announced that we were from the planet Vulcan.1998, Harriet Goldhor Lerner, The Mother Dance: How Children Change Your Life, London, page 159
  2. A language constructed for the Star Trek franchise, spoken by the fictional Vulcan species.

Noun (2)

Vulcan (plural Vulcans)

  1. An inhabitant of the planet Vulcan; a species that values a personal emphasis on logic and strict personal emotional control.
  2. (derogatory, slang) A person who, like the fictional Vulcans, seems to lack emotion or is overly analytical and boring.
    • It’s a personality thing more than anything else, as [Barack] Obama has a tendency to appear cold – unwilling or unable to act anything like a father figure.2011 January 15, Dylan Jones, “Is there a Vulcan in the White House?”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Jan 2011
    Synonyms:
    Spock

Adjective

Vulcan (comparative more Vulcan, superlative most Vulcan)

  1. Of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of the fictional Vulcans.
    • On the other hand, any being with intellect, will and self-awareness is, by definition, human, whatever its outward appearance or solar system of origin. Captain Kirk is properly Terran, as Spock is Vulcan or Worf is Klingon. They are all human.1994 June 26, Marie Brown Loehr, “Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?”, in The New York Times Magazine, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26...
    • After her [Michael Burnham’s] human parents were killed by Klingons, she was raised by a Vulcan father and a human mother, along with the couple’s biological child, Spock. “Burnham was envisioned as a woman who must find the balance between two distinctly different ideologies,” said [Sonequa]...2019 January 22, CBS All Access, “Women Drive the Action in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08...
  2. (derogatory, slang) Lacking emotion or overly analytical and boring.
    • The military has staffing down to a science (note that the top job is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). Even four-star generals can think like a staffer. [Colin] Powell’s natural human instinct as a principal might be to run for president, but his Vulcan-staffer side tells him it’s a...1997 January 5, Joel Achenbach, “The Staffers of Life”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC
    • The same could be said of Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), a forensic anthropologist on “Bones” who is so driven and unfeeling that she has to have human emotions explained to her by an F.B.I. agent. (After six seasons, she has warmed up a little, but she hasn’t completely lost her Vulcan...2011 March 29, Alessandra Stanley, “Body of Proof: Feisty Types? Try Looking in the Morgue”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the...

Noun (3)

Vulcan (plural Vulcans)

  1. (aircraft) The Avro Vulcan, a type of jet-powered British bomber aircraft built by Avro during the Cold War.

Also used as

Vulcan is also the ellipsis of Vulcan County.

Vulcan meaning in Marathi, Odia and Vietnamese

Vulcan in Marathi

Roman god of fire
व्हल्कन vhalkan
theoretical planet
व्हल्कन vhalkan

Vulcan in Odia

Roman god of fire
ଭଲ୍କାନ୍ bhalkān

Vulcan in Vietnamese

Roman god of fire
Vulcan
theoretical planet
Vulcan

Examples of Vulcan in a sentence

  • This bearer is the Vulcan of our village, and one of the eaters of us farmers.1704 August 20, Roger North, “For North Foley, Esq.”, in Augustus Jessopp, editor, The Lives of the Right Hon. Francis North, Baron...
  • [T]hus array’d and ſtump’d, they commend his garb and mein to their neighbours, to make them appear ſuch limping Vulcans as he is.1756, John Dove, An Essay on Inspiration: or An Attempt to Shew that the Pretences of the Ancient and the Modern Zamzummim, to That Ray of...
  • The man was a Hercules, or perhaps a Vulcan would be better, since his right leg was twisted and misshapen, and sensibly shorter than its fellow.1906, Alfred Henry Lewis, “The Man with the Crutch”, in Confessions of a Detective, New York, N.Y.: A[lfred] S[mith] Barnes & Company...
  • [I]n the midſt they make their Vulcan or fire near to a great Tree, upon the ſnags whereof they hang their kettles fil’d with the Veniſon; […]1674, John Josselyn, “The Second Voyage”, in An Account of Two Voyages to New-England. […], London: […] Giles Widdows, […], →OCLC, page 138:

Synonyms of Vulcan

Forms of Vulcan

Proper noun
pluralVulcans
Noun
pluralVulcans
Adjective
comparativemore Vulcan
superlativemost Vulcan

Origin of Vulcan

From Middle English Vulcan, Vulcanus, Wlcan, from Old English Ulcanus (genitive), from Classical Latin Vulcānus, probably from Etruscan although very unclear, but unknown meaning and further origin (see more in Latin entry). Doublet of bolcane and volcano. Etymology 1, proper noun sense 2.5 (“hypothetical planet”) is a semantic loan from French Vulcan, coined by French physicist, mathematician and astronomer Jacques Babinet in 1846, who proposed this name after the god for a planet close to the Sun. Noun senses etymology 1 1 (“blacksmith; metalworker”), etymology 1 2 (“one who is lame”), and etymology 1 3 (“fire”) are allusions to Vulcan as the god of fire and metalworking and his lameness. Compare Middle French Vulcan (“blacksmith; metalworker”), also attested in early modern French meaning “fire” in apparently isolated use. Etymology 1, noun sense 4 (“volcano”) is from Middle English wlcane, originally after Middle French Vulcan, wlcan, and chiefly after Spanish volcán in subsequent use, ultimately arising from Latin Vulcānus and Italian Vulcano as a name for Mount Etna and one or more of the Aeolian Islands (with active volcanoes on the islands now called Vulcano and...

From Vulcan (etymology 1), from the Star Trek TV series of the 1960s. The adjective is by analogy with -an.

From Vulcan (etymology 1).

Words formed from Vulcan

Phrases with Vulcan

Questions about Vulcan

What does Vulcan mean?
Vulcan means the god of volcanoes and fire, especially the forge, also the patron of all craftsmen, especially blacksmiths. The Roman counterpart of Hephaestus.
What is Vulcan in Marathi?
Vulcan in Marathi is व्हल्कन (vhalkan). See Vulcan meaning in Marathi.
How do you use Vulcan in a sentence?
This bearer is the Vulcan of our village, and one of the eaters of us farmers.
What part of speech is Vulcan?
Vulcan can be a proper noun, a noun or an adjective.
How do you pronounce Vulcan?
Vulcan is pronounced /ˈvʌlkən/ (UK).

Words near Vulcan in the dictionary

  1. Vukovian
  2. Vukovians
  3. Vukovic
  4. Vukovics
  5. Vuladdore Reef
  6. Vulcan
  7. Vulcan cannon
  8. Vulcan cannons
  9. Vulcan chess
  10. Vulcan County
  11. vulcan palm

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: Vulcan (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-au-Vulcan.ogg.

Cite this entry: “Vulcan.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/vulcan. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.