Meaning & use
seismograph
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
A scientific instrument that detects and records the strength and duration of vibrations in the ground caused by earthquakes.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a seismograph' or 'seismographs'.
Patterns
- a seismograph records something
- install a seismograph
- seismograph readings
The seismograph recorded a magnitude 5.2 earthquake at 3:14 a.m.
Scientists installed a new seismograph near the fault line to monitor activity.
The old seismograph produced paper records that had to be analyzed by hand.
Word forms
| plural | seismographs |
|---|
Common combinations
- seismograph station
- The university operates a seismograph station in the mountains.
- seismograph record
- The seismograph record showed clear P and S waves.
- digital seismograph
- Modern digital seismographs send data to computers in real time.
- portable seismograph
- The team carried a portable seismograph to the remote island.
Synonyms and how they differ
- seismometer
- A seismometer measures ground motion, while a seismograph often refers to the complete system that records it; in everyday use they overlap.
Word family
- seismogram noun
- The record or graph produced by a seismograph.
- seismology noun
- The scientific study of earthquakes.
- seismologist noun
- A scientist who studies earthquakes.
Commonly confused: seismograph or seismogram?
seismograph vs seismogram
A seismograph is the instrument; a seismogram is the paper or digital record it makes.
Practice
The ______ recorded the earthquake's vibrations on a rotating drum.
Choose one answer.
A seismograph is the instrument that records vibrations; a seismogram is the record it produces, seismology is the study, and a seismologist is a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “seismograph”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.