a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor
"it was heated to evaporate the volatiles"
A chemical or compound that changes into a gas easily.
"The volatile solvent evaporated quickly from the warm surface of the liquid."
In plain English: A volatile person is someone whose mood changes quickly and unpredictably, often getting angry without warning.
"The volatile markets caused investors to panic sell their stocks today."
evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures
"volatile oils"
"volatile solvents"
Evaporating or vaporizing readily under normal conditions.
"The volatile liquid evaporated quickly from the open container on the hot day."
In plain English: Volatile means something that changes quickly and unpredictably, often causing sudden problems.
"The stock market became volatile after the unexpected news about the company's profits."
Usage: Use volatile to describe liquids like alcohol or gasoline that turn into gas quickly at room temperature, rather than for abstract concepts such as unstable emotions unless specifically referring to sudden outbursts. This term applies strictly to substances with high vapor pressure under normal conditions.
The word comes from the Latin volātilis, meaning "flying" or "swift," which is derived from the verb volō ("to fly"). It entered English via Middle French.