Word
geyser
US/ˈɡaɪzɝ/
UK/ɡˈiːzɐ/
Definitions
01natural hot spring
n. a hole in the ground that shoots out hot water and steam at certain times.
n. a natural geothermal spring that intermittently ejects a column of boiling water and steam into the air.
“We waited for an hour to see the geyser shoot water high into the sky.”
“The national park is famous for its active geysers, which erupt with predictable regularity due to underground volcanic activity.”
Synonyms
02water heater
n. a machine used in a house to heat water for showers and sinks.
n. a domestic appliance used for heating and storing hot water.
“The geyser in the bathroom is broken, so there is no hot water for a shower.”
“In many South African households, the geyser is the most energy-consuming appliance, often requiring a timer to manage electricity costs.”
British English · Dialect
Usage
Commonly used in South Africa, India, and formerly in the UK; 'water heater' is the standard American equivalent.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Instead, the water is expelled back into the ocean in a superheated geyser.” Etymology
From the name of a particular Icelandic geyser which is mentioned as early as the 1760s in The Annual Register, as “Geyser, a wonderful spring in the valley of Haukadal”. From Geysir (“Gusher”), the Icelandic name of the hot spring in Iceland (see Wikipedia), from the verb geysa (“to gush”), from Old Norse geysa (“to gush”). Doublet of gusher.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/geyser