Okuzeka
Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Earthquakes & Seismology

Earthquake

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈɜːrθkweɪk/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, earthquake means: A sudden shaking of the ground caused by rocks breaking and slipping along a fault, which releases energy as seismic waves.

In Turkish: deprem, yer sarsıntısı

How it is used

Common in news, reports and lectures: an earthquake strikes, hits a region, is felt in a city. Scientists say 'quake' informally, 'event' in technical reports and 'seismic activity' when talking about many earthquakes.

Example sentences

  1. The earthquake was felt as far away as Istanbul.

  2. Many large earthquakes in Turkey have occurred along the North Anatolian Fault.

Common collocations

  • a strong earthquake
  • an earthquake strikes
  • earthquake zone
  • earthquake-resistant building
  • faultA fracture in the Earth's crust along which the rocks on either side have moved. Sudden slip on a fault causes an earthquake.
  • magnitudeA number that describes the size of an earthquake at its source, based on the energy released. Each whole step on the scale means about 32 times more energy.
  • epicenterThe point on the Earth's surface directly above the place underground where an earthquake starts.
  • aftershockA smaller earthquake that follows a larger one in the same area as the crust adjusts after the main shock. Aftershocks can continue for months or years.
  • seismic waveA wave of energy that travels through the Earth or along its surface, produced by an earthquake, an explosion or another sudden ground movement.

More terms: Earthquakes & Seismology

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: