earthquake etymology

English word earthquake comes from English building, English quake

Detailed word origin of earthquake

Dictionary entryLanguageDefinition
building English (eng) (uncountable) The act or process of building.. A closed structure with walls and a roof.
quake English (eng) A trembling or shaking.. An earthquake, a trembling of the ground with force. (intransitive) To tremble or shake.. (transitive, obsolete) To cause to tremble or shake.
erd-quake Middle English (enm)
earthquake English (eng) (planetary geology) Such a quake specifically occurring on the planet Earth, as opposed to other celestial bodies. [from 20th c.]. A shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults. [from 14th c.].