Etymology

earthquake

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Today it means: A shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults. Full definition →

First used 14th c.Middle English erthequake ← Old English cwacian ← Proto-Germanic *kwakōną
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁er-
  2. Proto-Germanic*erþō
  3. Proto-West Germanic*erþu
  4. Old Englisheorþe
  5. Middle Englisherthe
  6. Proto-Germanic*kwakōną
  7. Old Englishcwacian
  8. Middle Englishquaken
  9. Middle Englisherthequake
  10. English todayearthquake

From Middle English erthequake, corresponding to earth + quake. Displaced Middle English eorð byfung (“earthquake”) from Old English eorþbeofung (literally “earth shaking”).

First known use, by meaning

  • from 14th c. A shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults.
  • from 20th c. Such a quake specifically occurring on the planet Earth, as opposed to other celestial bodies.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.