tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnä-mē 

plural tsunamis also tsunami

: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave

tsunamic

(t)su̇-ˈnä-mik 

adjective

Examples of tsunami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Court documents show that the new tsunami of closures will happen across all 50 states. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025

The National Weather Service has not issued any tsunami watches, warnings or advisories in the aftermath, and there have been no reports of fatalities or significant damage so far. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025

Golf felt like a potential anchor amid a medical tsunami. —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025

Now that the box-office success of A Complete Unknown has achieved the seemingly impossible feat of turning at least a few Gen-Z viewers into Bob Dylan stans, Hollywood’s biopic wave is about to turn into a tsunami. —Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from tsu harbor + nami wave

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tsunami

• salami
• tatami
• thalami
• balmy
• brahmi
• commie
• mommy
• palmy
• rami
• saami
• swami
• swamy

Kids Definition

tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē 

: a great sea wave produced especially by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea : tidal wave

Etymology

Japanese, from tsu "harbor" + nami "wave"