el maremoto
seaquake
Definition & meaning
Maremoto is a tsunami or major disturbance of the sea, usually caused by an underwater earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, or other sudden movement of the seabed. It can produce powerful waves that reach and devastate coastal areas.
In modern Spanish, maremoto is often used interchangeably with tsunami {tsunami }, although technically a maremoto is the underwater disturbance itself, while the resulting series of waves is the tsunami.
Grammar & Word origin
- Part of speech: masculine noun
- Article: el maremoto
- Plural: los maremotos
- Word formation: mar (“sea”) + moto (“movement” or “motion”)
- The element moto comes from Latin motus, meaning “movement.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- tsunami [tsunami ] — the most common modern term for the large waves produced by a maremoto.
- ola sísmica [ola sísmica ] — literally “seismic wave”; a more descriptive and less common expression.
- maremoto sísmico [maremoto sísmico ] — emphasizes that the event was caused by seismic activity.
There is no exact antonym. An opposing condition could be described as calma del mar [calma del mar ] or mar en calma [mar en calma ], meaning that the sea is calm and undisturbed.
Common phrases & collocations
- un maremoto devastador [un maremoto devastador ] — a devastating tsunami
- la llegada de un maremoto [la llegada de un maremoto ] — the arrival of a tsunami
- alerta de maremoto [alerta de maremoto ] — tsunami warning
- riesgo de maremoto [riesgo de maremoto ] — tsunami risk
- El maremoto causó graves daños en la costa. [El maremoto causó graves daños en la costa. ] — The tsunami caused serious damage along the coast.
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Examples
El maremoto destruyó muchas casas cerca del mar.noun
The seaquake destroyed many houses near the sea.
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