detonate

Pronunciation: /ˈdɛtəneɪt/

The English word “detonate” has 4 meanings listed here.

verb

To explode, blow up
To combust or decompose supersonically via shock compression.
To cause to explode.
To express sudden anger.

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…

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