geyser

noun

gey·ser ˈgī-zər

British also ˈgē-zə,

for sense 1 and usually for sense 2 ˈgē-zə

: a spring that throws forth intermittent jets of heated water and steam

British : an apparatus for heating water rapidly with a gas flame (as for a bath)

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).

Example Sentences

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 Fill it with your favorite soda or beer and enjoy the colorful depiction of Old Faithul, the park's most famous and reliable geyser.

Mark Stock, Men's Health, 11 Nov. 2022 When Sunset Crater first erupted Part of the sprawling San Francisco volcanic field, Sunset Crater is the youngest lava-geyser of the bunch.

Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 3 Nov. 2022 In one case, the high-pressure water burst upward as a geyser.

Ian Palmer, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 Just outside Rotorua, in Te Puia, is the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere.

Johanna Read, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2022 The southern loop is where travelers can access the famous Old Faithful geyser.

Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2022 Water pouring from overpasses onto expressways and bursting geyser-like from breeched manhole covers were among the dramatic images circulating on social media after several inches of rain fell in a short span Sunday.

Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 Earlier in the week, a 34-year-old man from Colorado Springs was gored by a bison at the Old Faithful geyser.

Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 1 July 2022 The man was in a group walking Monday along a boardwalk in the park near the Old Faithful geyser when a bull bison charged, park officials said.

Christian Martinezstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2022 See More

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.