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shear wave

American  
[sheer wayv] / ˈʃɪər ˌweɪv /

noun

  1. Geology. S wave.


shear wave Scientific  

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By pairing in-situ sound velocity measurements with advanced molecular dynamics simulations, the team detected a dramatic loss of shear wave speed and a sharp increase in Poisson's ratio.

From Science Daily • Dec. 10, 2025

Traditionally, it was thought that the rupturing of a fault moved slower than another type of damaging seismic wave, known as a shear wave.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2025

"It breaks the shear wave speed barrier in the rocks and produces destructive waves that are stronger than what's generated by a normal earthquake," he said.

From Science Daily • Oct. 12, 2025

Instead, it's the shear wave, aka S wave, that people usually feel during an earthquake.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2019

Such a wave is called a transverse wave or shear wave; in such a wave, the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

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