detonation
pronunciation
How to pronounce detonation in British English:
UK [ˌdetəˈneɪʃn]
How to pronounce detonation in American English:
US [ˌdɛtnˈeʃən]
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- Noun:
- a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
- the act of detonating an explosive
Word Origin
- detonation (n.)
- 1670s, "explosion accompanied by loud sound," from French détonation, from Medieval Latin detonationem (nominative detonatio), from Latin detonare "to thunder down, to release one's thunder, roar out," from de- "down" (see de-) + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder (n.)). Sense of "act of causing to explode" (mid-18c.) developed in French.
Example
- 1. It is still not clear that the detonation was successful .
- 2. Most electronic equipment within 1000 miles of a high-altitude nuclear detonation could be affected .
- 3. Considerable variation from this distribution will occur with changes in yield or location of the detonation .
- 4. The multiple , city-destroying warheads on the french and british submarines are not at risk of detonation from collision , ferguson said .
- 5. But this would not protect it against a sufficiently large detonation nearby , or a cloud of pellets shot into its path .