Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
An explosion or sudden report made by the near-instantaneous decomposition or combustion of unstable substances. Specifically, combustion that spreads supersonically via shock compression.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An explosion or sudden report made by the near-instantaneous decomposition or combustion of unstable substances. Specifically, combustion that spreads supersonically via shock compression.
Any sudden explosion made by an exothermic process (whether chemical or not) that produces a supersonic shock wave.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable
Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Engine knocking, a type of improper combustion in gasoline piston engines.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: engineering, mechanical, mechanical-engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the act of detonating an explosive
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: explosion, burst
Narrower terms: percussion
noun
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: explosion, blowup
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: discharge
Narrower terms: airburst, blast, backfire, big bang, blowback, fragmentation, inflation
History
From French détonation; equivalent to detonate + -ion.
Across languages
37 source translations are retained for this English entry.
