caldera UK /kælˈdɛə.ɹə/US /kælˈdɛɹ.ə/ noun1 •A large crater formed by collapse of the cone or edifice of a volcano.The lakes of both Rotorua and Taupo occupy calderas left from enormous prehistoric eruptions, and magma lies at shallow depths beneath a number of centres. — 2000 formscalderas