geyser

noun

gey·​ser ˈgī-zər 

British also ˈgē-zə

for sense 1 and usually ˈgē-zə for sense 2

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

An enormous geyser erupted outside a Whataburger on Chimney Rock Road in Uptown Houston on Sunday morning, sending a towering jet of water into the air and flooding the 24-hour restaurant, nearby sidewalks and part of the roadway. —Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026

The famous Golden Circle, geysers, and waterfalls lie well outside the city, and reaching them requires a full-day excursion. —David Nikel, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026

For instance, red geysers that showed signs of galaxy interactions or past minor mergers contained much more inflowing gas. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026

Oil and gas began to flow, and on December 14, the ground shook, the gusher came pouring out of the ground, and the geyser couldn’t be stopped for more than a week. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026

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"