Seismic
/ˈsaɪz.mɪk/noun
Relating to earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth.
Did you know?Its root is tied to Ancient Greek *seíein* (“to shake”), the same ancient idea behind words for motion and disturbance that still echo through scientific language today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sek̑-
“to cut, split, or divide”
Ancient Greek
Greek
seíein
“to shake”
Ancient Greek
Greek
seismós
“a shaking, an earthquake”
Late 18th Century
French/English
seismique
“relating to earthquakes”
Modern English
English
seismic
“relating to earthquakes or earth vibrations”