[vohl-tuhor, Italianvawl-tah for 1;vol-tuh, vohl- for 2] /ˈvoʊl tə or, Italian ˈvɔl tɑ for 1; ˈvɒl tə, ˈvoʊl- for 2/
noun
1.
Count Alessandro
[ah-les-sahn-draw] /ˌɑ lɛsˈsɑn drɔ/ (Show IPA), 1745–1827, Italian physicist.
2.
a river in W Africa, in Ghana, formed by the confluence of the Black Volta and the White Volta and flowing S into the Bight of Benin. About 250 miles (400 km) long; with branches about 1240 miles (1995 km) long.
British Dictionary definitions for volta
volta
/ˈvɒltə; Italian ˈvɔlta/
noun (pl) -te (Italian) (-te)
1.
a quick-moving Italian dance popular during the 16th and 17th centuries
2.
a piece of music written for or in the rhythm of this dance, in triple time
Word Origin
C17: from Italian: turn; see volt²
Volta1
/ˈvɒltə/
noun
1.
a river in W Africa, formed by the confluence of the Black Volta and the White Volta in N central Ghana: flows south to the Bight of Benin: the chief river of Ghana. Length: 480 km (300 miles); (including the Black Volta) 1600 km (1000 miles)
2.
Lake Volta, an artificial lake in Ghana, extending 408 km (250 miles) upstream from the Volta River Dam on the Volta River: completed in 1966. Area: 8482 sq km (3275 sq miles)
Volta2
/ˈvəʊltə; Italian ˈvɔlta/
noun
1.
Count Alessandro (alesˈsandro). 1745–1827, Italian physicist after whom the volt is named. He made important contributions to the theory of current electricity and invented the voltaic pile (1800), the electrophorus (1775), and an electroscope
Word Origin and History for volta
Volta
West African river, from 15c. Portuguese Rio da Volta, literally "river of return" (perhaps because it was where ships turned around and headed for home) or "river of bend," in reference to its course.
volta in Science
Volta
(vōl'tə) Italian physicist who in 1800 invented the voltaic pile, which was the first source of continuous electric current. The volt unit of electromotive force is named for him.