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
Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025
The major seismic hazards in the region are from large earthquakes occurring along regional faults that are located miles away from the geothermal field, such as the San Andreas and Healdsburg-Rodgers Creek faults.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
The company uses equipment and techniques already proven in the oil, gas, and geothermal industries.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025
Editor’s Pick Near the Krafla geothermal-energy plant, scientists drilled down to magma, creating the most powerful geothermal well in the world.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Geothermal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geothermal. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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geothermal
adjective
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