seismic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
related to or caused by earthquakes and the way the ground moves.
relating to or caused by earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth and its crust.
Simple“The city is located in a seismic zone where small earthquakes are common.”
In context“Seismic sensors placed along the fault line detected subtle tremors that preceded the major earthquake by several hours.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it modifies.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
having a very big, important, or sudden effect on a situation.
denoting an event or change of enormous proportions or having a highly significant impact.
Simple“The invention of the smartphone caused a seismic shift in how we communicate.”
In context“The sudden collapse of the major investment bank sent seismic shocks through the global financial markets, leading to a decade of instability.”
Teacher's tipThis figurative use is very common in journalism and academic writing to describe social or political changes.
SynonymsAntonyms
“According to the Colombian Geological Service, the quake’s epicentre was at a depth of about 103 kilometres (64 miles), and was the largest seismic event recorded in the country this century.”
“Raúl Andrés Buitrago, the head of customer service at a business in Pereira, said he was leaving for work when the seismic alert on his watch went off.”
Based on Ancient Greek σεισμός (seismós, “shaking, earthquake”) + -ic, equivalent to seismo- + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.