geyser

English

The Great Geysir gave its name to all geysers

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”.[1] 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).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈɡaɪzə/, /ˈɡiːzə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɡaɪzɚ/
  • Rhymes: -aɪzə(r) or Rhymes: -iːzə(r)
  • Homophones: guiser, geezer

Noun

Strokkur, another Icelandic geyser.

geyser (plural geysers)

  1. (planetology, geology, volcanology) A boiling natural spring which throws forth at frequent intervals jets of water, mud etc., driven up by the expansive power of steam.
  2. (Britain, archaic) An instantaneous, and often dangerous, hot water heater.
    • 1902. William Paton Buchan, Plumbing: A Text-book to the Practice of the Art Or Craft of the Plumber:
      Where a Geyser or hot-water heater is used it is a good and wise precaution to see that the bath-room, &c., when it is used is well ventilated.
    • 1998, Gordon S Riess, Confessions of a Corporate Centurion: Tales of International Adventures
      Water was heated either on the gas stove, or on a wall mounted gas-fired "geyser" heater.
    • 2002, Alaine Polcz, One woman in the war: Hungary, 1944-1945:
      It was here I saw a geyser gas water heater in a bathroom for the first time. (I was afraid of it).
  3. (South Africa) A domestic water boiler.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

geyser (third-person singular simple present geysers, present participle geysering, simple past and past participle geysered)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To (cause to) rush or burst upward like water from a geyser.

References

Anagrams


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʒɛ.zɛʁ/
  • (file)

Noun

geyser m (plural geysers)

  1. (geology) geyser
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