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tidal wave 1. A shallow water wave caused by the gravitational interactions between the sun, moon, and earth. Essentially, high water is the crest of a tidal wave and low water is the trough. Tide is the vertical component of the particulate motion and tidal current is the horizontal component. The observed tide and tidal current can be considered the result of the combination of several tidal waves, each of which may vary from nearly pure progressive to nearly pure standing and with differing periods, heights, phase relationships, and directions. 2. Any unusually high and destructive water level along a shore. It usually refers to either a storm surge or tsunami.

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