Meanings
nounS-wave (plural S-waves)
plural S-waves · alternative S wave
- geographyA transverse, shear wave, such as that produced by an earthquake. Movement is transverse to the direction of propagation and is a body wave.
Synonyms: seismic wave
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA transverse, shear wave, such as that produced by an earthquake. Movement is transverse to the direction of propagation and is a body wave.
Similar
Origin
From "secondary wave" or "shear wave".
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
S-wave. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/S-wave
MLA
“S-wave.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/S-wave. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “S-wave,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/S-wave.
Source: S-wave on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.