English Explanatory Dictionary

detonate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To explode, blow up
  2. To combust or decompose supersonically via shock compression.
  3. To cause to explode.
  4. To express sudden anger.

Pronunciation

/ˈdɛtəneɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-detonate.wav /ˈdɛtəˌneɪt/ [ˈdɛɾəˌneɪt] [ˈdɛʔ.əˌneɪt] /ˈdetənæɪt/ [ˈdeɾənæɪt]

Word forms

detonate detonates detonating detonated

Etymology

First attested in 1729; either borrowed from French détoner or directly from Latin dētonātus, perfect passive participle of dētonō (“to thunder down (strongly); (figuratively, of a person) to thunder, speak threateningly, to rage; to stop thundering”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“off, from”) + tonō (“to thunder”)). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂-. The current interlingual meaning seems to be a new formation in postclassical times (to thunder → make a large noise → explode), compare explode.

Synonyms

blast fulminate thunder

Antonyms

deflagrate

Related words

stentorian Thor thunder Thursday

Derived words

detcord detonatable detonation detonative detonator nondetonating undetonated

Translations

Bulgarian: избухвам Chinese Mandarin: 爆炸 Finnish: räjähtää Finnish: pamahtaa French: détoner Hebrew: התפוצץ Hungarian: robban Hungarian: felrobban Ido: detonar Ingrian: reppiä Italian: detonare Italian: esplodere Māori: pakū Māori: pohū Portuguese: detonar Portuguese: explodir Romanian: exploda Russian: взрыва́ться Russian: взорва́ться Spanish: detonarse Swedish: detonera
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