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

Photo : Hall and Hall A geyser draws attention to one of the ponds that dot the property. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2024

The explosion spewed rock and steam into the air north of the Old Faithful geyser. —Antonio Planas, NBC News, 19 Sep. 2024

One man’s demise is accompanied not with geysers of gore but an explosion of red flower petals, another with the crystalline burst of a champagne bottle. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2024

Pools of electricity and poison crackle and bubble, and geysers of fire simmer just below the ground. —Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 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"