Tsunami

noun (plural tsunamis or tsunami)

/tsuːˈnɑːmi/

A series of ocean waves of extremely long wavelength caused by a large-scale, rapid displacement of water, typically triggered by submarine earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides, capable of devastating coastal areas far from the point of origin.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, India institutionalised a dedicated early-warning system under INCOIS, recognising that disaster management must shift from reactive relief to anticipatory, technology-driven preparedness.

Synonyms

tidal waveseismic sea wavetidal surgedelugeflood-wavesurge

Antonyms

calmlullstillnesstranquillity

🌱 Word Family

tsunamis (n pl), mega-tsunami (n), paleo-tsunami (n), tsunamigenic (adj)

🔡 Root

Japanese tsu (津) = harbour; nami (波) = wave; compound tsunami (津波) = harbour wave; entered English 1890s

📜 Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese tsunami (津波), from tsu (津, "harbour") + nami (波, "wave"), literally "harbour wave"; the term entered English in the 1890s, with the earliest recorded usage in 1896.

🧠 Memory Hook

Break it as "tsu-nami" = the Japanese "harbour (tsu) wave (nami)" — picture a giant wave swallowing a harbour, the very scene the word was coined to describe.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2015 — Disaster Management
Mains 2017 · GS3 · 15 marks — Disaster Management

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Tsunami” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🌍 Geography 📖 Seen in: Oceanography — Ocean Currents, Tides, ...

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