geophone

noun

geo·​phone ˈjē-ə-ˌfōn 

: an instrument for detecting vibrations passing through rocks, soil, or ice

Examples of geophone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sonic version of the novel layers narrative and soundscapes that were recorded with binaural mikes, hydrophones, and geophones. — Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2026

These scraps of seismic data from everyday life are gathered by the nodes’ internal geophones. — Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026

Hike in with a pickax, dig a hole a few inches deep, and place the sharp end of the node into that hole, making sure the spike containing the geophone is completely covered. — Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026

As such, the paper authors looked to the readings of 650 portable geophones scattered around Yellowstone’s roads, which revealed its seismic activity in sharper detail. — Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025

Unfortunately, the signals from distant quakes have relatively low vibrational frequencies, and the compact geophone sensor in a Raspberry Shake is meant for higher frequencies. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025

Specifically, the team turned to seismic data from an array of four geophone instruments deployed on the moon during Apollo 17 as a part of NASA's Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment. — Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023

Most geophones are designed for measuring frequencies above 10 Hz. — IEEE Spectrum, 27 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for geophone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone