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Glite Dictionary
💥 Point below blast 🌎 Earthquake starting point
hypocenter

hypocenter

8.9
The point inside the ground where an earthquake starts
  • noun
  • /ˈhaɪpoʊˌsɛntər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hipocentro
  • Many scientists study the hypocenters of earthquakes to predict future activity.

Examples

  • Seismologists determine the hypocenter of an earthquake to understand its magnitude and impact.

  • Damage was most severe near the hypocenter due to the intense shaking.

  • The hypocenter of the earthquake was located several kilometers beneath the city.

  • Scientists used seismic data to determine the exact hypocenter of the tremor.

  • The earthquake's hypocenter was located deep underground.

  • The hypocenter is the point within the Earth where the seismic waves of an earthquake originate.

  • Residents felt the tremors because the hypocenter was located just a few kilometers beneath their town.

Surface Forms

hypocenter singular
hypocenters plural

Morphology

hypocenter = center (semi-transparent) = hypo + center

The word is compositionally built from 'hypo-' meaning below/under and 'center', but the technical earthquake sense is specialized rather than fully literal.

Etymology

Hypocenter comes from the Greek parts hypo- 'under' and center 'middle'. So it means the point under the ground where an earthquake begins, which is why scientists use it for the origin inside the earth.