seismoscope

1 9.1

An instrument that tells when an earthquake happens and where it comes from

noun
/ˈsaɪzməˌskoʊp/

Specialized

: sismógrafo

He studied the data recorded by the seismoscope to determine the origin of the tremors.

Examples

3: Avoid thinking about a scenario for which I will need a seismoscope where a woodpecker would be sound-scaping a tree.

The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2013)
The ancient seismoscope was able to detect distant earthquakes and show their direction on a scale.
In a recent demonstration, the seismoscope indicated that an earthquake had occurred 200 kilometers away.

Synonyms

seismograph

vsseismoscope

Specialized

6 7.0

Machine that records ground movements during earthquakes

is limited to detecting occurrence, sometimes showing direction, not full recordings

seismometer

vsseismoscope

Specialized

2 5.3

A device that measures shaking in the ground, for example during an earthquake

focuses on noting occurrence and sometimes direction rather than detailed measurements

geophone

vsseismoscope

Specialized

8.2

A device that detects and records ground shaking to study earthquakes or underground movement

is made to detect earthquake occurrences rather than general survey vibrations

How Informative

seismometer

Specialized

2 5.3

seismograph

Specialized

6 7.0

seismoscope

Specialized

1 9.1

Surface Forms

seismoscope singular

seismoscopes plural

Morphology

seismoscope = scope (opaque) = seismo + scope

The word is formed from the learned combining form seismo- and scope, but the earthquake-related meaning is not transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Seismoscope joins seismo- ('earthquake') and -scope ('to look'), the same ending you see in telescope and microscope. So, a seismoscope is a device that 'looks for' or detects earthquakes and can even show the direction they come from.