detonation
detonation Lexical Profile
detonation Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The action of causing a substance or device to explode, or the resulting loud, rapid explosion itself.
"The mining crew scheduled the controlled detonation to clear the rockslide from the mountain pass."
Abnormal, premature, or uneven combustion of the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, producing a sharp metallic knocking sound.
"Using higher-octane fuel helped eliminate the engine detonation that occurred when driving up steep hills."
Word Nuance & Usage
In physics and chemistry, 'detonation' specifically refers to supersonic combustion driven by a shock wave, whereas 'deflagration' refers to subsonic combustion propagated through thermal conductivity.
• Rhymes for detonation
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 17th century from French détonation, from Latin detonare ('to thunder down'), formed from de- ('down') and tonare ('to thunder').