seismic

[ sahyz-mik, sahys- ]

/ ˈsaɪz mɪk, ˈsaɪs- /

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See synonyms for seismic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to, of the nature of, or caused by an earthquake or vibration of the earth, whether due to natural or artificial causes.

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Sometimes seis·mal

[sahyz-muhl, sahys-], /ˈsaɪz məl, ˈsaɪs-/, seis·mi·cal .

Origin of seismic

First recorded in 1855–60; seism + -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM seismic

seis·mi·cal·ly, adverbnon·seis·mic, adjectiveun·seis·mal, adjectiveun·seis·mic, adjective

Words nearby seismic

Seine-St-Denis, seise, seisin, seising, seism, seismic, seismic array, seismic gap, seismicity, seismic wave, seismic waves

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use seismic in a sentence

Previous studies have noted that CO2 tends to escape Earth in seismic hot spots.
Carbon dioxide from Earth’s mantle may trigger some Italian earthquakes|Maria Temming|August 26, 2020|Science News
I wonder if we could see some kind of seismic result on Sunday because of that.
Bayern Looks Unbeatable. But Can Mbappé Push PSG To Champions League Glory?|Tony Chow (tony.chow@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Of 268 seismic stations around the world, 185, or 69 percent, showed significant reductions in human-caused noise.
COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically reduced seismic noise from humans|Carolyn Gramling|July 23, 2020|Science News
As a result, researchers haven’t ever mapped the global scope of human seismic noise, Lecocq says.
COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically reduced seismic noise from humans|Carolyn Gramling|July 23, 2020|Science News

Combining this wealth of seismic data with machine learning is “the future of earthquake analysis.”
Machine learning helped demystify a California earthquake swarm|Carolyn Gramling|June 18, 2020|Science News
He also warns that the entire Uffizi museum should be fortified with anti-seismic measures.
Florence Preps ‘David’ for the Big One|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Similar reinforced plinths were developed by the Getty museums in Los Angeles to absorb the seismic movements there.
Florence Preps ‘David’ for the Big One|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The masterpiece is huge, but structurally flawed and terribly vulnerable to seismic activity.
Florence Preps ‘David’ for the Big One|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To an audience destabilized by seismic changes in the culture, he brings the assurance (and the threat) that Obama et al.
Glenn Beck Is Now Selling Hipster Clothes. Really.|Ana Marie Cox|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If you were following this saga, online, it felt like a seismic rumble.
LeBron James Returns to Cleveland: How 'The Decision 2.0' Happened|Robert Silverman|July 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nothing short of a seismic cataclysm—an earthquake, in fact—could deter a San Francisco audience after that.
Mark Twain, A Biography, 1835-1910, Complete|Albert Bigelow Paine
A great earthquake rarely, if ever, occurs without some preparation in the form of a marked increase of seismic activity.
A Study of Recent Earthquakes|Charles Davison
The portion of the earth's surface which is vertically above the seismic focus is called the epicentre.
A Study of Recent Earthquakes|Charles Davison
One clue to the solution of the problem is afforded by the seismic death-rate of the damaged towns.
A Study of Recent Earthquakes|Charles Davison
Even the world itself lay under it, vaguely uneasy, sometimes startled to momentary seismic panic.
The Dark Star|Robert W. Chambers

British Dictionary definitions for seismic

seismic

/ (ˈsaɪzmɪk) /

adjective

relating to or caused by earthquakes or artificially produced earth tremorsAlso (less commonly): seismical (ˈsaɪzmɪkəl)

of enormous proportions or having highly significant consequencesseismic social change

Derived forms of seismic

seismically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012