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

While Yellowstone National Park's busiest season is during the summer months of June, July, and August, visitors during the winter months can enjoy snowy landscapes and steaming geyser basins with fewer crowds. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

Read Next National Dormant Yellowstone geyser erupts for first time in decades. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2025

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Among the vast forests, herds of bison, and steaming geysers, a new hydrothermal feature has emerged at Yellowstone National Park. —Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025

From the awesome geysers of Yellowstone to the purple mountains of the Smokies, America’s national parks have long been known as great road trip destinations. —Sarah Cahalan, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025

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

Rhymes for geyser

• miser
• riser
• sizer
• visor
• wiser
• advertiser
• analyser
• analyzer
• appetizer
• atomizer
• breathalyzer
• colonizer

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"