tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnä-mē 

plural tsunamis also tsunami

: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave

tsunamic

(t)su̇-ˈnä-mik 

adjective

Examples of tsunami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie, a harrowing account of one family’s separation during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, earned Watts an Oscar nomination for best actress and marked Holland’s acting debut in a live-action feature film. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

His answer also triggered a tsunami of criticism, but White's answer ultimately overshadowed his and drew attention away from his as the night went on. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The quake struck Tuesday afternoon in Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu at a relatively shallow depth of 6 miles, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation from coastal areas. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 29 July 2026

Alia Whitney-Johnson met her in 2005, a college freshman on a tsunami relief trip, there to install water filters and solar lighting. — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from tsu harbor + nami wave

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tsunami

• salami
• tatami
• thalami
• balmy
• brahmi
• commie
• mommy
• palmy
• rami
• saami
• swami
• swamy

Kids Definition

tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē 

: a great sea wave produced especially by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea : tidal wave

Etymology

Japanese, from tsu "harbor" + nami "wave"