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
Mia Taylor, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Nowadays, the town offers an array of geothermal adventures.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
In the past few years, the program has seen significant interest, with approximately 80 communities across the state exploring similar projects, said Bryce Carter, the geothermal program manager for the state’s Energy Office.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
Over millennia, the same geothermal activity that feeds the city’s baths has carved a network of more than 200 caves beneath its streets — as mineral-rich springs slowly dissolved the surrounding limestone, marlstone and karst rock.
—Jennifer Walker, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Geothermal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geothermal. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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geothermal
adjective
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