Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sonorous
1.
Giving sound when struck; resonant;
as,
. sonorous
metals2.
Loud-sounding; giving a clear or loud sound;
as, a
. sonorous
voice3.
Yielding sound; characterized by sound; vocal; sonant;
as, the vowels are
. sonorous
4.
Impressive in sound; high-sounding.
The Italian opera, amidst all the meanness and familiarty of the thoughts, has something beautiful and
sonorous
in the expression. Addison.
There is nothing of the artificial Johnsonian balance in his style. It is as often marked by a pregnant brevity as by a
sonorous
amplitude. E. Everett.
5.
(Med.)
Sonant; vibrant; hence, of sounds produced in a cavity, deep-toned;
as,
. sonorous
rhonchiSonorous figures
(Physics)
, figures formed by the vibrations of a substance capable of emitting a musical tone, as when the bow of a violin is drawn along the edge of a piece of glass or metal on which sand is strewed, and the sand arranges itself in figures according to the musical tone. Called also
– acoustic figures
. Sonorous tumor
(Med.)
, a tumor which emits a clear, resonant sound on percussion.
So-no′rous-ly
, adv.
So-no′rous-ness
, Noun.
Webster 1828 Edition
Sonorous
SONO'ROUS
,Adj.
1.
Giving sound when struck. Metals are sonorous bodies.2.
Loud sounding; giving a clear or loud sound; as a sonorous voice.3.
Yielding sound; as, the vowels are sonorous.4.
High sounding; magnificent of sound. The Italian opera, amidst all the meanness and familiarity of the thoughts, has something beautiful and sonorous in the expression.Definition 2024
sonorous
sonorous
English
Alternative forms
- sonourous (rare)
Adjective
sonorous (comparative more sonorous, superlative most sonorous)
- Capable of giving out a deep, resonant sound.
- 1837, Thomas Carlyle, “Mercury de Breze”, in Henry Duff Traill, editor, The French Revolution, a History, the Bastille, volume 2, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, The Third Estate, page 162:
- The Oath is redacted ; pronounced aloud by President Bailly, — and indeed in such a sonorous tone, that the cloud of witnesses, even outdoors, hear it, and bellow response to it.
-
- Full of sound and rich, as in language or verse.
- Addison
- The Italian opera, amidst all the meanness and familiarity of the thoughts, has something beautiful and sonorous in the expression.
- 1859 July 25, Edward Everett, “Rufus Choate. Tributes to the Memory of the Hon. Rufus Choate”, in The New York Times, page 2:
- There is nothing of the artificial Johnsonian balance in his style. It is as often marked by a pregnant brevity as by a sonorous amplitude.
- Addison
- Wordy or grandiloquent.
- (linguistics, phonetics) Produced with a relatively open vocal tract and relatively little obstruction of airflow.
- 2001, Michael Dobrovolsky, “Phonetics: The Sounds of Language”, in William O'Grady, John Archibald, Mark Aronoff, and Janie Rees-Miller, editors, Contemporary Linguistics, ISBN 0-312-24738-9, page 21:
- Vowels are more sonorous (acoustically powerful) than consonants, and so we perceive them as louder and lasting longer.
-
Related terms
Translations
capable of giving out a deep resonant sound
full of sound and rich, as in language or verse
wordy or grandiloquent
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