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seismology

the scientific study of earthquakes and related phenomena

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Where does the word "seismology" come from? It comes from Greek seismos, and was adopted directly into English (1858).

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Where does the word "seismology" come from? It comes from Greek seismos, and was adopted directly into English (1858).

Seismology’s story begins in Greek: seismos meant “an earthquake, a shaking.” An earthquake, a shaking, combined with logos (study). It reached English by 1858 as seismology. Coined for the scientific study of earthquakes. Today, seismology means the scientific study of earthquakes and related phenomena.

  1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient seismos "an earthquake, a shaking", an earthquake, a shaking, combined with logos (study).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1858 seismology "the scientific study of earthquakes", coined for the scientific study of earthquakes.

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