tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnä-mē How to pronounce tsunami (audio)
plural tsunamis also tsunami
: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave
tsunamic adjective

Examples of tsunami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As the tsunami rocked back and forth in the fjord, the impacts were strong enough to ripple through the Earth's crust and register as a single frequency hum that seismologists initially categorized as a USO, or unidentified seismic object. Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 The tsunami traveled around the globe, reaching as far as the Mediterranean and causing damage, injury and death in California, Peru, Chile and New Zealand. Carly Miller, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 Staff Pick: The mystery of a 650-foot tsunami This before and after compilation shows the location where rockfall and glacier ice collapsed suddenly into the Dickson Fjord. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2024 Eastern Greenland had never experienced a landslide and tsunami like this before, Svennevig said. Laura Paddison, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tsunami 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tsunami.' 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

Japanese, from tsu harbor + nami wave

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tsunami was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near tsunami

Cite this Entry

“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsunami. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

tsunami

noun
tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē How to pronounce tsunami (audio)
: a great sea wave produced especially by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea : tidal wave
Etymology

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

More from Merriam-Webster on tsunami

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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