ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tsunami

n.
US //suˈnɑmi// UK //tsuːnˈɑːmi// tsuna·mi
  1. 1 giant sea wave (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    a huge, powerful wave caused by an earthquake or volcano under the ocean that can cause great damage when it hits land.

    a series of massive water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean, due to seismic activity.

    Example

    The coastal town installed a new siren to warn residents of a possible tsunami after the earthquake.

    Example

    Geologists monitored the undersea fault line closely, fearing that a significant shift could trigger a tsunami capable of reaching distant island chains within hours.
    • tidal wave
    • seismic sea wave
  2. 2 an overwhelming surge (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    a very large amount of something that arrives suddenly and is difficult to control.

    a figurative surge or overwhelming arrival of something, often used to describe social, economic, or emotional phenomena.

    Example

    The company was not prepared for the tsunami of complaints following the price increase.

    Example

    The sudden policy shift unleashed a tsunami of public criticism that the administration struggled to contain during the subsequent press conference.
Origin

Borrowed from Japanese 津波 (tsunami), from 津 (tsu, “harbour”) + 波 (nami, “wave”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026