earthquake English · revision 7410

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=late 13th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɜːθkweɪk/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɝθkweɪk/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English erthequake, formed from [[earth]] and [[quake]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A movement or vibration of part of the earth's crust: late 13th century, as eorthequakynge, in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) about 1340 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English had eorðdyn, eorðhrernes, eorðbeofung and eorðstyrung for the idea, and Middle English also had terre-mote (late 14th century), from Latin terrae motus.^(Etymonline) The figurative sense, a great upheaval, is from 1641.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 13th century – eorthequakynge.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1340 – earthquake.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1641 – figurative use.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A sudden violent shaking of the ground, caused by movements within the earth's crust or volcanic action.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A great upheaval or disturbance.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[microearthquake]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[moonquake]]

+ * [[seaquake]]

+ * [[starquake]]

+ * [[earth]]

+ * [[quake]]

+ * [[seism]]

+ * [[tremor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}