Definition

A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements in the Earth's crust, often resulting in damage.

Example

The earthquake caused significant damage to the buildings in the city.

Conversation

Did you feel that earthquake last night?

Yeah, it was pretty strong!

I thought my house was going to shake off its foundation.

Same here! I hope we don’t have another one anytime soon.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Earthquake is formed from "earth" (from Old English "eorþe", meaning the ground or soil) and "quake" (from Old English "cwacian", meaning to shake or tremble). The word describes the shaking or trembling of the ground.

Memory Tip

Think of the ground ('earth') shaking or 'trembling' ('quake') — that's what an earthquake is.

Visually Confused Words