phreatic

adjective

phre·​at·​ic frē-ˈa-tik How to pronounce phreatic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being groundwater
2
: of, relating to, or being an explosion caused by steam derived from groundwater

Examples of phreatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In that case, the ongoing seismic activity could stop abruptly or peak in a phreatic eruption—the volcano would spurt out hot liquids, gases and rock fragments instead of lava. — Alessio Perrone, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2023 The blast at Whakaari in 2019, the explosion on Japan's Intake in 2014, a phreatic eruption on the Philippine's Mayon in 2013 -- all of these events killed people who should likely not have been so close to a potentially explosive and active volcano. — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Greek phreat-, phrear well; akin to Armenian ałbiwr spring, Old High German brunno — more at burn

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of phreatic was circa 1890

Rhymes for phreatic

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Browse Nearby Words

phreaker
phreatic
phreatophyte
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Cite this Entry

“Phreatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phreatic. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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