tsunami

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Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /suːˈnɑːmi/, /tsuːˈnɑːmi/; enPR so͞o-nä'mi
• (America) IPA: /suˈnɑmi/, /tsuˈnɑmi/; enPR so͞o-nä'mi;
• (Canada) IPA: /suˈnæmi/, /suˈnɑmi/

Noun

tsunami (plural tsunamis or tsunami)

1. A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption. Tsunami are usually a series of waves, or wave train.
2. (figurative) A large and generally unstoppable surge.
   • 2009, John Bernard Kelly, An Accidental Atheist: A Memoir, Aquinine books ISBN 9780980709711, page 306

     It seemed that what started out as a handful of isolated cases gradually turned into a tsunami of complaints.

   • 2009, Marc Eliot, American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood, Crown Archetype ISBN 9780307462497, page 86

     It set off a tsunami of debate among the more esoteric critics, who either loved it or hated it but could not ignore it.

   • 2012, Demetra M. Pappas, The Euthanasia/Assisted-Suicide Debate, ABC-CLIO ISBN 9780313341878, page 60

     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).

Synonyms

• seismic sea wave
• tidal wave (usage conflict)

Translations

• French: tsunami
• German: Tsunami
• Italian: tsunami (invariable), maremoto
• Portuguese: tsunami, maremoto
• Russian: цуна́ми
• Spanish: tsunami, maremoto

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