seismometer

American  

[sahyz-mom-i-ter, sahys-] / saɪzˈmɒm ɪ tər, saɪs- /

noun

1. a seismograph equipped for measuring the direction, intensity, and duration of earthquakes by measuring the actual movement of the ground.

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seismometer Scientific  

/ sīz-mŏm′ĭ-tər /

1. A detecting device that receives seismic impulses. It is the detecting component of a seismograph.

2. See more at seismograph

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Other Word Forms

• seismometric adjective
• seismometrical adjective
• seismometry noun

Etymology

Origin of seismometer

First recorded in 1835–45; seismo- + -meter

Explanation

A seismometer is a scientific instrument used to detect earthquakes. When the ground shakes, a seismometer can measure exactly how much it's moving up and down. Seismometer comes from the Greek roots seismos, "a shaking," and metron, "a measure." During the 2nd century, a Chinese astronomer invented a basic version of the seismometer that scientists still use today. A simple seismometer is made from a frame that is very sensitive to motion and a weight suspended from it by a spring. The measurement of earthquake activity comes from comparing the relative motion of the weight compared with the frame.

Example Sentences

So raucous was the responding celebration by Seattle fans that it registered a magnitude 2.0 on a nearby seismometer.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

At lunch one day, the wind chill reached –59°C, says Glen Mattioli, vice president for instrumentation at the EarthScope Consortium, which operates the seismometer network.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 2, 2024

The lander carried a seismometer, which recorded four years' of vibrations - Mars quakes - from deep inside the Red Planet.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2024

No, it was an ordinary truck, like a normal truck driving past a seismometer.

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2024

The seismometer on Mount Rainier had registered the earthquake, but that didn’t mean the center of the quake was anywhere near.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone