Mercalli scale
[ mer-kah-lee, mer-; Italian mer-kahl-lee ]
/ mərˈkɑ li, mɛr-; Italian mɛrˈkɑl li /
noun Geology.
a measure of earthquake intensity with 12 divisions ranging from I (felt by very few) to XII (total destruction).
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Origin of Mercalli scale
1920–25; named after Giuseppe Mercalli (1850–1914), Italian seismologist
Words nearby Mercalli scale
meranti, merbromin, merc, Merca, mercado, Mercalli scale, mercantile, mercantile agency, mercantile paper, mercantile system, mercantilism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for Mercalli scale
Mercalli scale
/ (mɜːˈkælɪ) /
noun
a 12-point scale for expressing the intensity of an earthquake, ranging from 1 (not felt, except by few under favourable circumstances) to 12 (total destruction)Compare Richter scale See also intensity (def. 4)
Word Origin for Mercalli scale
C20: named after Giuseppe Mercalli (1850–1914), Italian volcanologist and seismologist
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for Mercalli scale
Mercalli scale
[ mər-kä′lē, mĕr- ]
A scale of earthquake intensity based on observed effects and ranging from I (detectable only with instruments) to XII (causing almost total destruction). It is named after the Italian seismologist Giuseppe Mercalli.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.