Dictionary

tsunami en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• so͞o-nä'mi (General-American, Received-Pronunciation) t
• /t͡ʃʊˈnami/ (Philippines)
• /(t)suˈnɑmi/ (Canada)
• /(t)suːˈnɑːmi/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /(t)suˈnæmi/ (Canada)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 津波 (tsunami), from 津 (tsu, “harbour”) + 波 (nami, “wave”).

Meanings

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 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:
   • A tsunami struck Japan recently.
   • 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.
   • 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:
   • 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:

Forms

Deriveds

tsunami wall · tsunameter · silver tsunami · tsunamic · ice tsunami · poonami · meteotsunami · orphaned tsunami · teletsunami · paleotsunami · fog tsunami · tsunamilike · palaeotsunami · megatsunami · tsunamigenic · flunami · tsunami stone

Relateds

natural disaster · seiche · flood · tsunami earthquake · earthquake · seaquake · tidal wave · waterquake

Synonyms

seismic sea wave · tidal wave

Translations (132)

gd tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · acw تسونامي (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fr raz-de-marée (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · bg цуна́ми (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · hy ցունամի (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · cy tswnami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ko 쓰나미 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sv tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ar تْسُونَامِي (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ja 海嘯 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · de Tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · it tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · es tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mi parawhenua (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · kn ಸುನಾಮಿ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · end ae mesi nuka tana lala (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nan-hbl chu-ná-mih (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sh cunámi (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · hu cunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · th สึนามิ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ko 해일 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · lt cunamis (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mr त्सुनामी (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sw tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · pt tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ms semong (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ru цуна́ми (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · io cunamio (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · hi सुनामी (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mi tai āniwhaniwha (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ur سونامی (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · be цуна́мі (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · he צוּנַמי (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · skh among (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · kmr tsunamî (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · eu tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · da tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sq cunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · cy tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sk tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nl tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nan-hbl 海漲 /海涨 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fi tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nn flodbølgje (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ro tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · bcl dulnop (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · th คลื่นยักษ์ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nia galoro (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · yi צונאַמי (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · az sunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tk sunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ms tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fa سونامی (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ko 지진해일 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · it maremoto (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ja 津波 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · gd tonn-tuile (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · et tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · gd tonn-taomaidh (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ace ië beuna (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ja 津浪 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fa آبْلَرْزه (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mn цунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · my ဆူနာမီ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · vi sóng thần (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ga súnámaí (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · yue 海嘯 /海啸 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · da flodbølge (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · id tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · uz tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · cmn 海嘯 /海啸 (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sk cunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · skh emong (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · pt maremoto (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ka ცუნამი (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nb tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fr tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · uk цуна́мі (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tt цунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · hu szökőár (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sv flodvåg (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · smr smong (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · io tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nl vloedgolf (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · lo ຊູນາມິ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · pa ਸੁਨਾਮੀ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · za haijsiu (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · is flóðbylgja (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mn ᠼᠦᠨᠠᠮᠢ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mr सुनामी (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · si සුනාමි (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nia oloro (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ca tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ky цунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fi hyökyaalto (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tr liman dalgası (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ta கடற்கோள் (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · cs tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · aii ܨܘܼܢܵܡܝܼ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tl tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tg сунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ug دېڭىز شاۋقۇنى (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tg тсунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · hi सूनामी (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sh veleval (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · km ស៊ូណាមិ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · sh цуна́ми (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · kk цунами (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · uz sunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · id semong (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · btd galoro (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tr dev dalga (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · mk цуна́ми (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · bn সুনামি (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · es maremoto (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nv tó nitéél nitságo atságáá (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · la maris mōtus (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · eo cunamo (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · aty najap̃ajap̃ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ta ஆழிப்பேரலை (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · nn tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · btd gloro (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ha tsùnāmī̀ (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · te సునామి (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · tr tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · el τσουνάμι (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ace alôn buluëk (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · or ସୁନାମି (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · pl tsunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · fy tsûnamy (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · ta சுனாமி (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean) · lv cunami (large, destructive wave generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean)