surface wave

noun

plural surface waves

: an earthquake vibration propagated near the surface of the earth compare body wave

Examples of surface wave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike surface waves that break at the coast, these are subsurface shifts in ocean heat that move across thousands of miles. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 June 2026

The rippling characteristics of water, which were previously thought to be either longitudinal or transverse waves exclusively, were shown to also contain this surface wave component. — Big Think, 7 May 2026

Though slower, S waves and surface waves cause the most damage due to their intense ground-shaking motion. — Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

To test their theory, the team simulated low gravity by generating small surface waves. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for surface wave

• aftershave
• architrave
• autoclave
• microwave
• misbehave
• agave
• behave
• concave
• conclave
• enclave
• engrave
• enslave