wavelet

/ˈweɪvlət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈweɪvlət/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwāv-lət/ (ame, mw)

wavelet — noun

1. a small, gentle rise of water on a lake, sea, or river, usually created by a lig

1.名詞C1
釋義

a small, gentle rise of water on a lake, sea, or river, usually created by a light breeze, a moving object, or a drop of rain hitting the surface.

例句

Mei watched the tiny wavelets spread across the pond after a stone fell in.

spread across — common verb collocation for wavelets

A light breeze sent wavelets dancing across the lake's surface before dawn.

sent + dancing — personification pattern for gentle water movement

同義詞
  • ripple

    more common in everyday English; suggests a very small, often circular pattern rather than the longer ridge shape of a wavelet

反義詞
  • wave

    used for the large, powerful movements of water (e.g. in the ocean during a storm) that wavelet specifically excludes

  • swell

    refers to a long, unbroken wave movement, much larger and more sustained than a wavelet

用法筆記

Frequently used in descriptive or literary writing to distinguish small, delicate wave movements from larger ocean waves. Less common in everyday speech than 'ripple'.

常見錯誤

❌A huge wavelet crashed onto the beach.
✅A huge wave crashed onto the beach.
💡'wavelet' always describes a small rise of water, not a large or powerful one.