earthquake

American  

[urth-kweyk] / ˈɜrθˌkweɪk /

noun

1. a series of vibrations induced in the earth's crust by the abrupt rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain has been slowly accumulating.

   Synonyms:

   temblor, seism, shock, tremor, quake

2. something that is severely disruptive; upheaval.

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earthquake British  

/ ˈɜːθˌkweɪk /

noun

1. a sudden release of energy in the earth's crust or upper mantle, usually caused by movement along a fault plane or by volcanic activity and resulting in the generation of seismic waves which can be destructive

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earthquake Scientific  

/ ûrth′kwāk′ /

1. A sudden movement of the Earth's lithosphere (its crust and upper mantle). Earthquakes are caused by the release of built-up stress within rocks along geologic faults or by the movement of magma in volcanic areas. They are usually followed by aftershocks.

2. See Note at fault

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earthquake Cultural  

1. A tremor of the surface of the Earth, sometimes severe and devastating, which results from shock waves generated by the movement of rock masses deep within the Earth, particularly near boundaries of tectonic plates. (See fault, Richter scale, and seismology.)

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Closer Look

Fractures in Earth's crust, or lithosphere, where sections of rock have slipped past each other are called faults.Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of accumulated strain along these faults, releasing energy in the form of low-frequency sound waves called seismic waves. Although thousands of earthquakes occur each year, most are too weak to be detected except by seismographs, instruments that detect and record vibrations and movements in the Earth. The point where the earthquake originates is the seismic focus, and directly above it on Earth's surface is the earthquake's epicenter. Three kinds of waves accompany earthquakes. Primary (P) waves have a push-pull type of vibration. Secondary (S) waves have a side-to-side type of vibration. Both P and S waves travel deep into Earth, reflecting off the surfaces of its various layers. S waves cannot travel through the liquid outer core. Surface (L) waves—named after the nineteenth-century British mathematician A.E.H. Love—travel along Earth's surface, causing most of the damage of an earthquake. The total amount of energy released by an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. Each increase by 1 corresponds to a tenfold increase in strength. Earthquakes above 7 on the Richter scale are considered severe. The famous earthquake that flattened San Francisco in 1906 had a magnitude of 7.8.

Discover More

Earthquakes are particularly likely where such plates are sliding past each other, as in the San Andreas Fault.

Earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted, although the likelihood of a region's suffering an earthquake can be estimated.

Other Word Forms

• preearthquake adjective

Etymology

Origin of earthquake

1300–50; Middle English erthequake ( earth, quake ), replacing Old English eorthdyne ( din ¹ )

Compare meaning

How does earthquake compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• earthquake vs. aftershock
• temblor vs. earthquake

Example Sentences

After World War II, as the VA mission shifted from housing to medical care, the on-campus population declined until the last few dozen residents were abruptly removed after the Sylmar earthquake.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The song that illuminated the path back home was Euphoria, an absolute earthquake of self belief, where Ridings screams with "the rage in my heart as red as my hair".

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

This earthquake was triggered by a strike-slip fault, where two large sections of the Earth's crust move horizontally past each other along a vertical fracture.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

After the 6.7 Northridge earthquake in 1994, seismic retrofitting became a rule for many buildings, not an option.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

“I don’t want to stay alone. What if the earthquake comes back?”

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Related Words

• shock
• temblor
• upheaval