P wave

[ pee weyv ]

noun

, Geology.

1. a longitudinal earthquake wave that travels through the interior of the earth and is usually the first conspicuous wave to be recorded by a seismograph.

P wave

1. See primary wave

Word History and Origins

Origin of P wave¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The P wave is admitted to be the wave of auricular contraction.

From Project Gutenberg