Surtsey
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of Surtsey
First recorded in 1960–65; from Icelandic; literally, “Surt's Island,” equivalent to Surt-, a proper name + -s, genitive singular noun ending + ey “island”; see origin at Surt ( def. ), island ( def. )
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.
When the volcanic island of Surtsey emerged from the North Atlantic Ocean in 1963, it presented scientists with a rare natural experiment: a chance to watch life begin on untouched land.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2025
Surtsey was formed by a volcanic explosion in 1963, making the island younger than most of the scientists studying it.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 19, 2023
This includes Surtseyan eruptions, named after Surtsey, a volcano off the Icelandic coast that explosively grew above the waves in the 1960s until it formed a new island.
From New York Times ● Sep. 11, 2021
Roth's Surtsey prints have never, to my knowledge, been shown in Britain before.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 31, 2010
See pictures of the world's eight new wonders, including Iceland's Surtsey Island.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
