geothermal
adjective
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Geothermal comes partly from the Greek thermos, "hot". Most geothermal electricity is provided by power plants situated in areas where there is significant activity of the Earth's great tectonic plates—often the same areas where volcanoes are found. But hot water from deep underground may be used by cities far from volcanoes to heat buildings or sidewalks. And a newer source of geothermal energy relies on a less dramatic kind of heat: Individual homeowners can now install heat pumps that take advantage of the 50°-60° temperature of the soil near the surface to provide heating in cold weather (and air-conditioning in the warm months). These very small-scale geothermal systems may eventually supply more useful energy than the large power plants.
Examples of geothermal in a Sentence
Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Soaking in the Blue Lagoon’s milky waters is an unforgettable experience, and the Golden Circle loops past three of Iceland’s most defining sites—Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and Geysir geothermal area.
—Ali Wunderman, AFAR Media, 11 Sep. 2025
By shrinking both the size and expense of drilling, Dig hopes to open the market for geothermal heat pumps to homes and businesses everywhere.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
Sky Lagoon Sky Lagoon, Reykjavík’s oceanfront geothermal lagoon, has taken its seven-step Skjól wellness ritual to the next level.
—Mia Taylor, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Geothermal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geothermal. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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geothermal
adjective
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