: an oscillation of the surface of a landlocked body of water (such as a lake) that varies in period from a few minutes to several hours

Examples of seiche in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hydrologists call it a seiche. Bruce Barcott, Outside Online, 25 Aug. 2011 Devils Hole is home to the endangered pupfish, a unique breed that can face short-term challenges following the geological phenomenon, technically called a seiche. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2022 Unlike tsunamis, which can take hours to reach land after an earthquake at sea, these moving water bodies, known as a seiche, surged out instantaneously after the massive asteroid crashed into the sea. Katie Hunt, CNN, 11 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seiche.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

circa 1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seiche was circa 1839

Dictionary Entries Near seiche

Cite this Entry

“Seiche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seiche. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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