tsunami
nounUS, UK /(t)suːˈnɑːmi/ · CA /(t)suˈnæmi/
Etymology Borrowed from Japanese 津波 (tsunami), from 津 (tsu, “harbour”) + 波 (nami, “wave”).
1
A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption; often a series of waves (a wave train).
- A tsunami struck Japan recently.
- A wave simulator in the tank can re-enact tsunamis and northeasters, and imitate wave conditions from midocean.2007 February 20, Tina Kelley, “A Wet Wind Tunnel So Ships Can Move Faster and Better”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 18 Dec 2022:
1 more example
- One indispensable and thankless Unesco task is organizing tsunami warnings systems and pushing for tsunami education on risky shores around the world.2011 November 11, Andrew C. Revkin, “Dot Connection: From Palestinian Politics to Tsunami Warnings”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 Nov 2011:
2
Figuratively A large and generally unstoppable surge.
- It seemed that what started out as a handful of isolated cases gradually turned into a tsunami of complaints.2009, John Bernard Kelly, An Accidental Atheist: A Memoir, Aquinine books, →ISBN, page 306:
- It set off a tsunami of debate among the more esoteric critics, who either loved it or hated it but could not ignore it.2009, Marc Eliot, American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood, Crown Archetype, →ISBN, page 86:
3 more examples
- The next decade would culminate in a tsunami of legislation, civil litigation, and criminal prosecutions in which assisted suicide was both criminalized (as in Michigan) and decriminalized (as in Oregon).2012, Demetra M. Pappas, The Euthanasia/Assisted-Suicide Debate, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 60:
- The editor paid a heavy price - he was subsequently compelled to offer a grovelling and humiliating personal apology, following a tsunami of protest.2020 August 26, Nigel Harris, “Comment Special: Catastrophe at Carmont”, in Rail, page 4:
- Sadly, [Anna] Wintour did not control the weather, which was disappointingly inclement. But, no matter, because the event was awash with a “tsunami of love”.2025 June 21, Jo Ellison, “The Bezos merger we all want a piece of”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 22:
- Synonyms
- seismic sea wave, tidal wave
- Derived terms
- flunami, fog tsunami, ice tsunami, megatsunami, meteotsunami, orphaned tsunami, palaeotsunami, paleotsunami, poonami, silver tsunami, teletsunami, tsunameter, tsunamic, tsunamigenic, tsunamilike, tsunami stone, tsunami wall
- Related terms
- earthquake, flood, natural disaster, seaquake, seiche, tidal wave, tsunami earthquake, waterquake