Webster's English Dictionary

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volatile

1. vol.a.tile \'va:l-*t-*l, esp Brit -*-.ti-l\ n [ME volatil, fr. OF, fr. 
   volatilie group of birds, fr. ML volati]lia, fr. L, neut. pl. of volatilis 
   winged, volatile 1: a winged creature (as a bird or insect)  2: a volatile 
   substance 
2. volatile aj [F, fr. L volatilis, fr. volatus, pp. of volare to fly] 1: 
   FLYING : having the power to fly  2: readily vaporizable at a relatively 
   low temperature  3a: LIGHTHEARTED, LIVELY  3b: easily aroused  3c: tending 
   to erupt into violent action : EXPLOSIVE  4: CHANGEABLE, FICKLE  5: 
   EVANESCENT, TRANSITORY