geothermal
Americanadjective
adjective
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Relating to the internal heat of the Earth. The water of hot springs and geysers is heated by geothermal sources.
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◆ Geothermal energy is power generated from natural steam, hot water, hot rocks, or lava in the Earth's crust. In general, geothermal power is produced by pumping water into cracks in the Earth's crust and then conveying the heated water or steam back to the surface so that its heat can be extracted through a heat exchanger, or its pressure can be used to drive turbines.
Etymology
Origin of geothermal
Explanation
Heat that rises from the center of the earth is geothermal. If you ever have the chance to dip your toes in a natural hot spring, you can feel that geothermal warmth for yourself! Anything that's thermal has to do with heat, from the Greek therme. The prefix geo-, or "earth," makes it clear that this type of heat rises from the planet itself. Hot springs are warmed by geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is also a renewable source of heat and power. Many buildings use geothermal heating and it's also a good way to generate electricity.
Vocabulary lists containing geothermal
Elements of the Universe: Geo ("Earth")
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Australia and New Zealand - Middle School and High School
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In addition to wind farms and solar arrays, companies are exploring geothermal and nuclear power, but all still cost more than natural-gas options.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Oak Street’s” retro-Spielbergian setting is faithful to a geothermal fault.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
United Tractors’ 1H earnings were hit by around 2.76 trillion rupiah of impairments recognized in 2Q related to its geothermal exposure, the analysts note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Imperial County and CTR declined to comment on pending litigation, but Controlled Thermal Resources spokesperson Lauren Rose articulated a commitment to advancing geothermal and lithium development “as core components of our Hell’s Kitchen Project.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
At the center of the camp, water from a geothermal well had been piped into a pair of shallow, steaming pools lined with rocks and shaded by palm trees: Oh-My-God Hot Springs.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
