earthquake — a sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɜːrθkweɪk/
Example Sentences
- My cat predicted the earthquake by hiding under the bed 10 minutes before it happened.
- During the earthquake drill, half the students thought it was a real earthquake and started texting their moms.
- Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake intensity.
earthquake
NOUN[/ˈɜːrθkweɪk/]
a sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth's crust
The earthquake shook buildings and surprised everyone in the city.
Scientists monitored signs before the earthquake occurred. (EARTH + SHAKE = EARTHQUAKE → earthquake means the earth suddenly shaking)
The earthquake caused the ground to shake and kept everyone awake.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word originated in Old English as a compound of 'earth' (from Proto-Germanic *erthōn, meaning ground or soil) and 'quake' (from Old English cwacian, meaning to shake or tremble). The compound literally describes the phenomenon of the ground shaking or trembling.
Breakdown
earth (ground, soil) + quake (to shake, tremble). The word combines two Old English elements to create a compound noun describing seismic movement of the ground.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat predicted the earthquake by hiding under the bed 10 minutes before it happened.”
“During the earthquake drill, half the students thought it was a real earthquake and started texting their moms.”
“Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake intensity.”
“Japan experiences frequent earthquakes due to its location on active fault lines.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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