English Explanatory Dictionary

thunder

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air around a lightning bolt.
  2. A deep, rumbling noise resembling thunder.
  3. An alarming or startling threat or denunciation.
  4. The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt.
  5. Synonym of thunder word.
verb
  1. To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity.
  2. To make a noise like thunder.
  3. To (make something) move very fast (with loud noise).
  4. To say (something) with a loud, threatening voice.
  5. To produce something with incredible power.
name
  1. The 13th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.

Pronunciation

/ˈθʌndə/ thŭn′dər /ˈθʌndɚ/ en-us-thunder.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-thunder.wav

Word forms

thunder thunders thundering thundered no-table-tags glossary thunderest thunderedst thundereth

Etymology

From Middle English thunder, thonder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, from Old English þunor (“thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunr, from Proto-Germanic *þunraz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten-, *(s)tenh₂- (“to thunder”). Compare astound, astonish, stun. Germanic cognates include West Frisian tonger, Dutch donder, German Donner, Old Norse Þórr (English Thor), Danish torden, Norwegian Nynorsk tore. Other cognates include Persian تندر (tondar), Latin tonō, detonō, Ancient Greek στένω (sténō), στενάζω (stenázō), στόνος (stónos), Στέντωρ (Sténtōr), Irish torann, Welsh taran, Gaulish Taranis. Doublet of donner, Thunor, and Thor.

Synonyms

thunder word

Related words

lightning thundering

Derived words

black as thunder black thunder blood and thunder by thunder castle thunder Chad Thundercock face like thunder heat thunder in thunder outthunder rethunder steal someone's thunder thunder and lightning thunderation thunder beast thunderbird thunderblast thunderbolt thunderboomer thunderbox thunderbug thunderburst thunderclap thundercloud thunder cloud thundercrack thundercrash thunder cross thundercunt Thunderdome thunder-drum thunderdunk thunderegg thunder egg thunder fever thunder fire thunderfish thunderflash thunderfly thunderful thunder god thunder god vine thundergust thunderhead thunderless thunderlight thunderlike thunder lizard thunder moon thunder mug thundermug thunderous thunderpeal thunder-plant thunder-plump thunder pot thunderproof thunder rod thunder run thunder sheet
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