Synonyms

hot spring

American

noun

a thermal spring having water warmer than 98°F (37°C): the water is usually heated by emanation from or passage near hot or molten rock.

hot spring British

noun

Also called: thermal spring. a natural spring of mineral water at a temperature of 21°C (70°F) or above, found in areas of volcanic activity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hot spring Scientific

A spring of warm water, usually having a temperature greater than that of the human body.

Etymology

Origin of hot spring

First recorded in 1660–70

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.

"Hot spring bathing is one of the most unusual behaviors seen in nonhuman primates," says first author Abdullah Langgeng.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Hot spring ecosystems and how they become fossilized are the main areas of research interest for Alan Channing, a geobiologist at Cardiff University, Wales.

From US News • May 6, 2011

Hot spring deposits are extremely rare in the fossil record, and examples that are older than the Miocene are even rarer.

From US News • May 6, 2011

"Hot spring waters, of course, can cause heat stress," explains Channing.

From US News • May 6, 2011

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023