Mercalli intensity

English

Noun

Mercalli intensity (countable and uncountable, plural Mercalli intensities)

1. A measure of the seismic intensity of an earthquake, according to the scale introduced by Italian volcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli.

Usage notes

• Historically, there have been several Mercalli intensity scales. The "modified Mercalli intensity" (which measures the effects of an earthquake at a given location, distinguished from the earthquake's inherent force or strength) is now the most commonly used.