[vol.a.tile] adj [F, fr. L volatilis, fr. volare to fly] (1605) 1: readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature
2: flying or having the power to fly 3 a: lighthearted, lively b: easily aroused "~ suspicions" c: tending to erupt into violence: explosive
4. a: unable to hold the attention fixed because of an inherent lightness or fickleness of disposition b: characterized by or subject to rapid or unexpected change
5: difficult to capture or hold permanently: evanescent, transitory -- vol.a.tile.ness n -- vol.a.til.i.ty n
[2]volatile n (1686): a volatile substance