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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.

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

The faster a shear wave travels in the organ, the stiffer the organ is interpreted to be.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2024

This layer appears to glide over a weaker region below called the asthenosphere, characterized by high seismic attenuation and low shear wave velocity.

From Science Daily • Sep. 27, 2023

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