Tsunamis
/tsuːˈnɑːmiːz/noun
Plural of tsunami: a series of large sea waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides.
Did you know?English borrowed tsunami directly from Japanese, where it means a harbor wave, and the word entered global use because no existing English term could capture its terrifying, earth-born power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*men-
“to think, remember”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mnēmē
“memory, remembrance”
Latin
Latin
memoria
“memory, remembrance”
Old English
English
gemynd
“memory, mind”
Modern English
English
tsunami
“a large sea wave caused by seismic activity”
Modern English
English
tsunamis
“plural of tsunami”