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
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
These natural hot springs, fed by geothermal energy from the surrounding volcanic landscape, are the soul of Hokkaido.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025
Estimates suggest over three-quarters of US geothermal resources are blind, Faulds told CNN.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
Students in the carpentry program will even learn how to build for climate resiliency, including how to prepare homes for solar and geothermal systems.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Geothermal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geothermal. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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geothermal
adjective
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