seismograph

[ sahyz-muh-graf, -grahf, sahys- ]

noun
  1. any of various instruments for measuring and recording the vibrations of earthquakes.

Origin of seismograph

1
First recorded in 1855–60; seismo- + -graph

Other words from seismograph

  • seis·mo·graph·ic [sahyz-muh-graf-ik, sahys-], /ˌsaɪz məˈgræf ɪk, ˌsaɪs-/, seis·mo·graph·i·cal, adjective

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British Dictionary definitions for seismograph

seismograph

/ (ˈsaɪzməˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf) /


noun
  1. an instrument that registers and records the features of earthquakes. A seismogram (ˈsaɪzməˌɡræm) is the record from such an instrument: Also called: seismometer

Derived forms of seismograph

  • seismographic (ˌsaɪzməˈɡræfɪk), adjective
  • seismographer (saɪzˈmɒɡrəfə), noun
  • seismography, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for seismograph

seismograph

[ sīzmə-grăf′ ]


  1. An instrument that detects and records vibrations and movements in the Earth, especially during an earthquake. Most seismographs employ a pendulum mounted within a rigid framework and connected to a mechanical, optical, or electromagnetic recording device. When the Earth vibrates or shakes, inertia keeps the pendulum steady with respect to the movements of the frame, producing a graphic record of the duration and intensity of the Earth's movements. Separate instruments are needed to record the north-south horizontal, east-west horizontal, and vertical components of a tremor. By comparing the records produced by seismographs located in three or more locations across the Earth, the location and strength of an earthquake can be determined.

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