geyser

noun

gey·ser | \ˈgī-zər,

British also ˈgē-zə, for sense 1 and usually ˈgē-zəfor sense 2\

Definition of geyser

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? Example Sentences Learn More about geyser

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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

The gas shoots up in little geysers or jets, that act like the thrusters on a spacecraft, giving the comet a little kick this way and that. — Dennis Overbye, New York Times, "An Alien Visitor Turns Out to Be a Comet," 27 June 2018 Its spouting geysers and abundant wildlife attract tourists from around the world, putting an increasing strain on its natural resources. — Washington Post, "Yellowstone boss to retire after Trump agency proposed move," 1 June 2018 The boardwalk at the base of the hill has been covered by the geyser's outwash. — Drew Broach, NOLA.com, "World's tallest geyser erupts at Yellowstone for third time in six weeks: report," 28 Apr. 2018 Haven't had your fill of craters, moons, and space geysers? — Shannon Stirone, WIRED, "Space Photos of the Week: A Cruise Around Mars' Hale Crater," 2 June 2018 The tallest of three geothermal geysers on 3,800-acre Fly Ranch, purchased by Burning Man Project in 2016, constantly spews mineral-rich, 150-degree water. — Harriot Manley, SFChronicle.com, "Burning Man comes and goes, but the experience is year-round in Reno," 28 June 2018 Researchers believe the geyser formed when ranchers drilled a hole (no one knows why) and hit a hot-water artesian well. — Harriot Manley, SFChronicle.com, "Burning Man comes and goes, but the experience is year-round in Reno," 28 June 2018 Check out these can’t-miss July 4 celebrations The Interns' Take: This show-stealing box of wonders opened with a geyser of glittery golden sparks. — Adesuwa Agbonile And Julia Sclafani, sacbee, "Our interns ranked the best Fourth of July fireworks so you don't have to," 28 June 2018 In the aftermath of the arrest, Dykstra’s feed became a geyser of self-referencing jokes and pop-culture name-drops — the most pathetic kind of brand-building. — Mike Sielski, Philly.com, "Lenny Dykstra's latest incident leaves no doubt about who he really is | Mike Sielski," 25 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'geyser.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near geyser

Statistics for geyser

Last Updated

2 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for geyser

The first known use of geyser was in 1780

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More Definitions for geyser

geyser

noun

English Language Learners Definition of geyser

: a hole in the ground that shoots out hot water and steam; also : the column of water and steam that comes from a geyser

: a device for heating water in a bathroom or kitchen

See the full definition for geyser in the English Language Learners Dictionary

geyser

noun

gey·ser | \ˈgī-zər

\

Kids Definition of geyser

: a spring that now and then shoots up hot water and steam

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