geyser

noun

gey·​ser ˈgī-zər 

 British also  ˈgē-zə,

 for sense 1 and usually  for sense 2 ˈgē-zə

1

: a spring that throws forth intermittent jets of heated water and steam

2

British : an apparatus for heating water rapidly with a gas flame (as for a bath)

Did you know?

A hot spring that discharges intermittent jets of steam and water is called a geyser. Geysers are generally associated with recent volcanic activity. They are produced by the heating of underground waters that have come into contact with, or are very close to, magma. Geyser discharges as high as 1,600 ft (500 m) have been recorded, but 160 ft (50 m) is much more common. Occasionally, a geyser will adopt an extremely regular and predictable pattern of intermittent activity and discharge for a few minutes every hour or so (for example, Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park).

Examples of geyser in a Sentence

The water from the geyser rises as high as 75 feet.

geysers rising as high as 75 feet

The water shot into the sky in an enormous geyser.

Recent Examples on the Web

Located around 50 miles (80 km) north of the oasis, the geysers are best viewed at dawn, the sun coming up over the Andes and the steam swirling in the chilly morning air. —Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

The visitor, a 60-year-old woman from New Hampshire, was hiking off-trail near Old Faithful, the iconic geyser famous for its sky-tickling jet of 350°F steam. —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 22 Sep. 2024

Nearby, a rock formation that looks like stretching tendons wrap around tiered ponds with spouting geysers. —Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 11 Sep. 2024

The spacecraft may even spot active geysers spewing icy material from the moon’s interior out into space. —Jay Bennett, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Icelandic Geysir, hot spring in Iceland, from geysa to rush forth, from Old Norse; akin to Old English gēotan to pour — more at found

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

geyser

noun

gey·​ser ˈgī-zər 

: a spring that now and then shoots out hot water and steam

Etymology

from Icelandic Geyser "a hot spring in Iceland," from geysa "to rush forth"