# vol

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vol
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a book volume

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

Stands for Volume. You see this in libraries or on bookshelves to show which part of a series a book is.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Volume. Used in bibliographic citations and on book spines to denote a specific book within a larger series or collection.

- The encyclopedia was so large that I had to look in Vol. 4 to find the information.
- The researcher noted that the relevant data appeared in Vol. 12 of the historical archives, specifically within the appendix.

Usage: Usually written with a capital 'V' and followed by a period in formal citations.

### 2. market volatility

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Informal

a short way to say 'volatility', which means how much prices in the stock market go up and down.

For teachers: a clipping of volatility, referring to the rate at which the price of a security or market increases or decreases.

- Traders were worried because the vol in the tech sector was very high this week.
- The portfolio manager adjusted the hedge after a sudden spike in equity vol threatened the fund's risk parameters.

Usage: Commonly used as an uncountable noun in professional trading environments.

### 3. sports team member

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Informal · Dialect

a nickname for a player on the Tennessee Volunteers college sports teams.

For teachers: a clipping of Volunteer, specifically referring to an athlete or student at the University of Tennessee.

- The stadium was full of fans cheering for the Vols during the big game.
- As a former Vol himself, the coach felt a deep connection to the university's athletic traditions and recruitment efforts.

Teaching tip: This is highly specific to American college sports culture; outside of that context, it will not be understood.

## Examples

- The trading vol was very high today.
- Traders noticed a sudden spike in vol just before the market closed for the weekend.
- While price movements were minimal, the underlying vol suggested that institutional investors were quietly accumulating positions ahead of the quarterly earnings report.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.