geyser

Where does the word "geyser" come from? It comes from Icelandic geysa, passing through Icelandic before entering English (1700s-1800s).

Geyser’s story begins in Icelandic: geysa meant “to gush, rage.” Meaning "to gush" or "rage". Within Icelandic, it grew into Geysir by medieval. The proper name of a famous erupting hot spring in Iceland. It reached English by 1700s-1800s as geyser. Generalized to describe any similar hot spring. Today, geyser means a hot spring that periodically ejects a column of water and steam.

1. Stage 1 · Icelandic · medieval geysa "to gush, rage", meaning "to gush" or "rage".
2. Stage 2 · Icelandic · medieval Geysir "a specific erupting hot spring", the proper name of a famous erupting hot spring in Iceland.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1700s-1800s geyser "an erupting hot spring", generalized to describe any similar hot spring.