seismology

American  

[sahyz-mol-uh-jee, sahys-] / saɪzˈmɒl ə dʒi, saɪs- /

noun

1. the science or study of earthquakes and their phenomena.

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seismology British  

/ ˌsaɪzməˈlɒdʒɪk, saɪzˈmɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of geology concerned with the study of earthquakes and seismic waves

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seismology Scientific  

/ sīz-mŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of earthquakes and of the internal structure of the Earth. It includes the study of the origin, geographic distribution, effects, and possible prediction of earthquakes.

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seismology Cultural  

1. The branch of science devoted to the study of seismic waves and the information they provide about the structure of the interior of the Earth.

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Discover More

Our knowledge of the properties of the crust, the mantle, and the core comes from this field.

Other Word Forms

• seismologic adjective
• seismological adjective
• seismologically adverb
• seismologist noun

Etymology

Origin of seismology

First recorded in 1855–60; seismo- + -logy

Explanation

If you're fascinated by earthquakes and the science behind them, you might want to study seismology. This branch of geology includes learning about tectonic plates, volcanoes, and earthquake prediction. The noun seismology comes from the Greek word for "earthquake," seismos, which stems from seiein, "to shake, agitate, or shiver." The suffix -logy is used to mean "the study of." Someone who's an expert in seismology is called a seismologist, and they study the seismic waves sent by earthquakes and the effects of earthquakes (like tsunamis), as well as the causes.

Example Sentences

The Philippine seismology office has recorded more than 800 aftershocks since the first quake struck Mindanao, which is riddled by major faults.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

The 1933 temblor also prompted the state to authorize research into seismology and how structures could be constructed to resist shaking.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2025

The Philippines' seismology agency has also issued a tsunami warning.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2024

One project, for example, might involve studying the seismology of Venus through balloons that are tested first on Earth, or the deployment of small subsurface drones to study melting of Antarctic ice shelves.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2024

The seismology section had a million probes down here, with a ninety-nine point eight success rate at predicting the magma flares.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer