geothermal

or ge·o·ther·mic

[ jee-oh-thur-muhl ]

/ ˌdʒi oʊˈθɜr məl /

Save This Word!

adjective

of or relating to the internal heat of the earth.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of geothermal

First recorded in 1870–75; geo- + thermal

Words nearby geothermal

geotaxis, geotechnical, geotectonic, geotextile, geotherm, geothermal, geothermal energy, geothermal gradient, geothermal power, geotropic, geotropism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use geothermal in a sentence

In 2021, oil and gas majors are poised to make the first major geothermal investments in more than 30 years, say industry experts and energy executives, as financial returns on fossil fuels tank.
This is the year oil companies finally invest in geothermal|Michael J. Coren|January 19, 2021|Quartz
On Earth, hot water and steam carry this geothermal energy to the surface, and it’s been harnessed for heating and energy production in Iceland, the United States, and a number of other countries.
The most life-friendly places on ancient Mars were deep below its surface|Kate Baggaley|December 3, 2020|Popular-Science
Just me, my boyfriend, and a fury of geothermal activity vibrating up from the earth.
Yellowstone National Park Is a Geyser Wonderland|Emily Pennington|November 18, 2020|Outside Online
Made up of layers of microbes, mats have been found in geothermal areas all over the world, including in Yellowstone National Park, the Garga hot spring in southern Russia and Lassen — home to Bumpass Hell.
Life on Earth may have begun in hostile hot springs|Jack J. Lee|September 24, 2020|Science News

They can also move heat between deep geothermal wells and the circulating water.
Buildings Consume Lots of Energy—Here’s How to Design Whole Communities That Give Back as Much as They Take|Charles F. Kutscher|May 28, 2020|Singularity Hub
Darren really wanted to capture the moss, and the geothermal quality of it.
‘Noah’ is a Global Warming Epic About the Battle Between Religion and Science, Says Cinematographer|Marlow Stern|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dr. Al Sabawi is chairman of MENA Geothermal, UCI, TABO, and Ahlia Insurance.
Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, Mahmoud Abbas Has Got to Go|Maysoon Zayid|December 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Jewell also approved a 70-megawatt geothermal plant on federal land in Nevada.
Interior Department Announces Plans for Renewable Energy Projects on Federal Lands|Miranda Green|June 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I read you were filming in Iceland, which relies on a huge natural geothermal resource.
Revenge of the Electric Car|Matthew Dakotah|October 23, 2009|DAILY BEAST
And in 25 years, 15 percent of our energy in the U.S. could easily be geothermal.
Revenge of the Electric Car|Matthew Dakotah|October 23, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The internal heat associated with some young volcanic systems has been harnessed to produce geothermal energy.
Volcanoes|Robert I. Tilling

British Dictionary definitions for geothermal

geothermal

geothermic

/ (ˌdʒiːəʊˈθɜːməl) /

adjective

of or relating to the heat in the interior of the earth

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

Scientific definitions for geothermal

geothermal

[ jē′ō-thûr′məl ]

Relating to the internal heat of the Earth. The water of hot springs and geysers is heated by geothermal sources.♦ 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.