thunder
The loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air around a lightning bolt.
Example
“Thunder is preceded by lightning.”
Other meanings
A deep, rumbling noise resembling thunder.
“Off in the distance, he heard the thunder of hoofbeats, signalling a stampede.”
An alarming or startling threat or denunciation.
Synonyms
- boom
- roar
- roaring
Word history
From Old English "þunor".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “thunder” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.