superquake

English

Alternative forms

• super-quake

Etymology

super- +‎ quake

Noun

superquake (plural superquakes)

1. (seismology, geology, rare) An extremely destructive, large-scale quake, often an earthquake of such magnitude; megaseism; megaquake
   • 1978, Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics, Volumes 11-12‎^[1], A. Ross Eckler, page 104:

     In January 1973, Newsweek magazine reported an earthquake somewhere in the world , and added: "It was not a superquake as earth tremors go."

   • 1984, Guidebook for the San Andreas Fault, Cajon Pass to Wrightwood, Volume 55‎^[2], Pacific Section, American Association of Petroleum Geologist, page 9:

     Others have suggested that, since this creeping section separates the two segments that have produced great earthquakes, that it is unlikely a "superquake" that ruptured all three sections could occur at one time.

   • 2015 May 6, Astrid Tomczak-Plewka, “Supercycles in subduction zones”, in phys.org‎^[3]:

     This "superquake" may have been the largest in a series of earthquakes, thus marking the end of what's known as a supercycle: a sequence of several large earthquakes.