undulation

/ˌʌndʒəˈleɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌndʒəˈleɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-jə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce undulation (audio) ˌən-dyə-,  ˌən-də-/ (ame, mw)

undulation — noun

  • undulationsingular
  • undulationsplural

1. a smooth, wave-like motion or shape where something rises and falls gently in a

1.名詞C1
釋義

a smooth, wave-like motion or shape where something rises and falls gently in a flowing pattern — for example, the movement of long grass in the wind or the curves of a winding road.

例句

From the hilltop, Elena watched the gentle undulation of the wheat fields beneath the breeze.

collocation: gentle undulation

The coastal road followed the undulation of the hills for nearly forty miles.

同義詞
  • wave

    much more common and versatile; can refer to a single peak of water or a figurative surge; undulation emphasizes a continuous flowing series

  • ripple

    smaller, lighter surface movement; less dramatic and more localized than undulation

  • swell

    a slow, smooth upward movement, especially of the sea; lacks the 'curving shape' aspect of undulation

  • billow

    a large rolling mass (smoke, cloud, fabric); implies swelling outward rather than sequential rising and falling

反義詞

用法筆記

Often paired with adjectives describing the quality of movement (gentle, soft, slow, slight, rhythmic). Countable when pointing to a specific wave-like curve or feature; uncountable when used as a general concept (the undulation of the sea).

常見錯誤

❌The ocean had a big undulation.
✅The ocean had a big wave.
💡'Wave' is the everyday word for a single rise of water; 'undulation' describes a continuous flowing motion or series of curves, not one peak.