Earthquake
/ˈɜːrθˌkweɪk/noun
A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement within Earth’s crust.
Did you know?Long before seismology, earthquakes were often interpreted as supernatural acts; in Greek mythology, Poseidon was called Ennosigaios, “Earth-Shaker.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*er-
“A reconstructed root associated with earth or ground, underlying the Germanic family of words for Earth.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*erþō
“Earth, ground, or soil.”
Old English
Old English
eorþe
“Earth, land, soil, or the world.”
Old English
Old English
cwacian
“To shake or tremble.”
Middle English
English
erthequaken
“To shake the earth; an earthquake.”
Modern English
English
earthquake
“A seismic shaking of the ground.”