tsunami
soo-NAH-mee
/tsuːˈnɑːmi/
A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or volcanic eruption.
Caused by deep water displacement, creating massive surges upon reaching shallow coastal zones.
The story behind the word. Borrowed directly from Japanese, where tsu means 'harbor' and nami means 'wave'. Japanese fishermen returning from open sea would sometimes find their coastal home ports wiped out by waves they never felt while out in deep water.
Word relationships
- tidal wave: Tidal wave is an older popular term, though scientists prefer tsunami because tides play no part in its creation.
Commonly confused with
- storm surge: A storm surge is driven by hurricane winds and atmospheric pressure rather than seismic displacement.
Collocations
- tsunami wave
- tsunami warning
- deadly tsunami
- tsunami surge
Idioms & expressions
- tsunami of public anger
Example sentences
- "The undersea megathrust earthquake generated a deadly tsunami that crested twenty meters above sea level." Scientific documentation
- "Coastal residents were ordered to move to higher ground immediately following the offshore tsunami warning." Emergency broadcast warning
Memory hook
TSU-nami sounds like 'TWO-SOON-AH-ME' — a wave arriving too soon and too big. Harbor wave in Japanese.
When not to use
Do not call standard storm surges or wind-driven tidal waves tsunamis unless water displacement is tectonic.
Fun facts
- In the deep ocean, tsunami waves can travel as fast as a jet airliner—around 500 miles per hour.
Related words
Also appears in
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