VOLATILITY

Noun10 lettersValid in our Scrabble word list
Unscramble VOLATILITY

Quick definition

VOLATILITY refers to the tendency to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially becoming dangerous or out of control, commonly used in finance and chemistry.

Is VOLATILITY a valid Scrabble word?

Yes. VOLATILITY is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 16 points in Scrabble, 18 in Words With Friends and 16 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.

LetterVOLATILITYTotal
Scrabble411111111416
Words With Friends512111211318
Wordfeud411111111416

Definition and meaning

VOLATILITY describes the quality of being subject to rapid, unpredictable changes, often with potentially dramatic or dangerous consequences. In financial markets, it measures the degree of variation in trading prices over time. In chemistry, it refers to substances that readily evaporate at normal temperatures. The concept extends metaphorically to describe unstable situations, unpredictable behavior, or rapidly changing conditions in various contexts from politics to personal temperament. Applications of volatility: Financial markets: Price fluctuations measured by standard deviation or VIX Chemistry: Tendency of substances to vaporize (e.g., alcohol, gasoline) Behavioral: Unpredictable emotional states or reactions Geopolitical: Unstable political or social conditions

VOLATILITY in a sentence

  • The volatility in oil prices made it difficult for airlines to plan their fuel budgets.
  • Her emotional volatility made her reactions unpredictable and sometimes concerning to friends.

Origin

The word volatility derives from Latin volatilis, meaning "flying, fleeting, swift, transitory," from volare meaning "to fly." The connection between flying and changeability reflects the swift, unpredictable nature of flight. Originally used in the 1620s to describe birds and flying creatures, the chemical sense emerged in the 1680s. The financial meaning developed in the 1860s with modern stock markets. The behavioral sense of "readily changing moods" dates from the 1640s. The root volare also gives us "volatile," "volley," and is related to "velocity."

Anagrams, hooks and words inside VOLATILITY

Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of VOLATILITY.

Hooks: no front hooks; no back hooks.

Words inside VOLATILITY: 103 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: VITALITYOVALITYVITALLYOVALLYTIVYTOTALLYALIYOTIVYOILILYALLOYLAITYLOVAT. See all words from VOLATILITY.

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