Definition

A very small and weak tremor of the earth, often caused by natural events like wind or ocean waves.

Example

The scientists detected a microseism while monitoring the coastal area for seismic activity.

Conversation

Did you feel that little shake earlier?

Yeah, I thought it was just me being clumsy.

I read that it might have been a microseism from the ocean waves.

That makes sense; I heard they can cause tiny tremors like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Microseism → It is formed from "micro-" (from Greek "mikros", meaning small) and "seism" (from Greek "seismos", meaning earthquake or shaking). The word refers to a small or minor seismic event, often undetectable by standard instruments.

Memory Tip

Think of 'small' ('micro-') shaking or 'earthquake' ('seism') to remember that a microseism is a minor seismic event.

Visually Confused Words