Surtsey

American  

[surt-see, soort-sey] / ˈsɜrt si, ˈsʊərt seɪ /

noun

1. an island south of and belonging to Iceland: formed by an undersea volcano 1963. About one mile (1.5 kilometers) in diameter; about 500 feet (150 meters) high.

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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

Researchers from Iceland, Hungary, and Spain discovered that most of the 78 vascular plant species found on Surtsey since 1965 lack any of the typical features linked to long-distance seed dispersal.

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

Surtsey, in photographs, is stark and beautiful: hard lava on the surface of the sea.

From The Guardian • Jul. 31, 2010

See pictures of the world's eight new wonders, including Iceland's Surtsey Island.

From Time Magazine Archive