seismologist

American  

[sahyz-mol-uh-jist, sahys-] / saɪzˈmɒl ə dʒɪst, saɪs- /

noun

1. a scientist who specializes in the study of earthquakes.

   By studying core samples taken from the ocean floor, seismologists can predict the likelihood of a major quake occurring on this fault line.

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Etymology

Origin of seismologist

First recorded in 1855–60; seismolog(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Explanation

A scientist who studies earthquakes is called a seismologist. If you're fascinated by tectonic plates, tsunamis, and everything else earthquake-related, you might want to become a seismologist. A seismologist is an expert in seismology, or the study of earthquakes. Both words are rooted in the Greek seismos, or "a shaking," and seismologists study the factors that lead to the extreme shaking caused by quakes. These scientists also investigate related events, like volcanic eruptions, connected with movements of the earth's crust and shifting tectonic plates, and predict when and where future earthquakes will occur.

Example Sentences

On average, the UK experienced an earthquake "almost once a day" in 2025, seismologist Brian Baptie said.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

Since 1900, northeastern Afghanistan has been hit by 12 quakes with a magnitude above 7, according to Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey.

From Barron's • Nov. 2, 2025

Southern California, in all of 2024, had 15 seismic sequences that included at least one quake that had a magnitude of 4.0 or stronger, said Lucy Jones, a seismologist and Caltech research associate.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2025

“The data should provide plenty of grist for earthquake prediction,” says Jeffrey Park, a seismologist at Yale University.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 17, 2024

“We don’t know what we can’t detect,” said Seth Moran, chief seismologist at the CVO.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone