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Noun: Richter scale  'rik-tu(r),skeyl or 'rixh-tu(r),skeyl
  1. (geology) a logarithmic scale from 1 to 10 used historically to measure earthquake magnitude based on seismograph readings
    "The earthquake measured 6.5 on the Richter scale"

Derived forms: Richter scales

Type of: graduated table, ordered series, scale, scale of measurement

Encyclopedia: Richter scale