Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • A river formed in central Ghana by the confluence of the White Volta and the Black Volta and flowing about 465 km (290 mi) southward through artificial Lake Volta to the Bight of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea.
  • Alessandro,Italian physicist who constructed the first electric battery (1800), which was composed of alternating disks of zinc and silver or copper.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An old dance. See lavolta.
  • noun In music, turn or time: as, una volta, once; due volte, twice; prima volta, first time. Abbreviated verb

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Mus.) A turning; a time; -- chiefly used in phrases signifying that the part is to be repeated one, two, or more times

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A river in West Africa, Volta River, having given name to Upper Volta.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun Italian physicist after whom the volt is named; studied electric currents and invented the voltaic pile (1745-1827)
  • noun a river in Ghana that flows south to the Bight of Benin

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Portuguese volta ("turnaround, return"); at some point of time the river marked the point of return for the Portuguese traders.

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Examples

  • The worst point about the Volta is the badness of its bar — a great semicircular sweep with heavy breakers — too bad a bar for boats to cross; but a steamer on the Lagos bar boat plan might manage it, as the Bull Frog reported in 1884 nineteen to twenty-one feet on it, one hour before high water.

    Travels in West Africa 2003

  • He harnessed his hopes to a dramatic plan for a huge multipurpose undertaking known as the Volta River Project.

    The Commanding Heights DANIEL YERGIN 1998

  • He harnessed his hopes to a dramatic plan for a huge multipurpose undertaking known as the Volta River Project.

    THE COMMANDING HEIGHTS DANIEL YERGIN 1998

  • The worst point about the Volta is the badness of its bar -- a great semicircular sweep with heavy breakers -- too bad a bar for boats to cross; but a steamer on the Lagos bar boat plan might manage it, as the Bull Frog reported in 1884 nineteen to twenty-one feet on it, one hour before high water.

    Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley 1881

  • "We are pleased to partner with Volta, which is committed to responsible mining exploration and engagement with local communities."

    Media Newswire media-newswire.com 2010

  • Volta, which is a spin-off of the movie of the same name.

    Blogged! 2008

  • Apparently it was called Conan & the Hall of Volta whoever the hell "Volta" is, I have no idea.

    Old-School Conan Video Games Part II Reis O'Brien 2008

  • HERMES: The title of Bjork's new record, "Volta," is inspired by both the River Volta in Ghana and by Alessandro Volta - the Italian physicist who invented the battery at the end of the 1700s.

    Spirit of Invention Defines Björk's 'Volta' 2007

  • But it's the spirit of invention that defines "Volta," artistic if not scientific.

    Spirit of Invention Defines Björk's 'Volta' 2007

  • On "Volta," Bjork has brought together some of the most unique international voices from widely dissimilar backgrounds - not to cram them into her vision, but to create a collective vision.

    Spirit of Invention Defines Björk's 'Volta' 2007

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