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dynamite

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dynamite¹

  • /ˈdʌɪnəmʌɪt/ UK
  • /ˈdaɪ.nəˌmaɪt/ US
  • /ˈdɪ.nəˌmaɪt/ obsolete

Where it comes from

Coined by Alfred Nobel in 1867. Ultimately from Ancient Greek δύναμις (dúnamis, “power”) + -ite, most likely under the influence of dynamo or dynamic.

noun dynamites

  1. uncountable, usually A class of explosives made from nitroglycerine in an absorbent medium such as kieselguhr, used in mining and blasting.
  2. informal, proscribed, uncountable, usually A stick of trinitrotoluene (TNT).
  3. figuratively, slang, uncountable, usually Anything exceptionally dangerous, exciting or wonderful. On Saturday night they need some excitement Jane gets right, monkey gets tight Voices unite, in the pale moonlight And it sounds alright, yeah, it's dynamite It's outta sight Let's hear it, right now!
  4. slang, uncountable, usually A strong drug, in particular heroin, cocaine or potent marijuana.

Similar: TNT

verb dynamites · dynamiting · dynamited

  1. To blow up with dynamite or other high explosive. Gradually the construction gangs cut and dynamited their way through some of the most difficult country in the world.
  2. figuratively To dismantle or destroy. Even the successful battle in the last century to overturn the court’s infamous Plessy vs. Ferguson “separate but equal” doctrine wasn’t a frontal assault that dynamited precedent.
  3. transitive, of brakes To apply maximum pressure to very quickly. dynamite the brakes
  4. intransitive, of brakes To lock up from being invoked too suddenly. the brakes will dynamite

Dynamite²

proper noun

  1. A sub-sitio in the sitio of Hilltop, barangay of Ambuclao, Bokod, Benguet, Philippines.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: gelatine, powder, gunpowder, bomb, explosive, boy, extra, gelignite, nitroglycerin, blasting powder, tnt, cordite, ammonal, ammonium nitrate, anfo, plastique

noun

Similar: TNT

Translations

Every language

noun class of explosives

Españoldinamita
한국어다이너마이트 daineomaiteu
日本語ダイナマイト dainamaito
中文炸藥 /炸药 zhàyào
हिन्दीबारूद bārūd, बारूत bārūt
Kiswahilibaruti
Portuguêsdinamite
Françaisdynamite
DeutschDynamit
Italianodinamite
Românădinamită
Русскийдинами́т dinamít
Tiếng Việtmìn, đinamit
العربيةدِينَامِيت dinamit
עבריתדִינָמִיט dinamit

noun stick of trinitrotoluene

Portuguêsbanana de dinamite

noun figuratively

DeutschSprengstoff

verb to blow up with dynamite or other high explosive

Españoldinamitar
Portuguêsdinamitar
Françaisdynamiter

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Cite this
MLA

"dynamite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dynamite. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

dynamite. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dynamite

Chicago

"dynamite." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dynamite.

BibTeX
@misc{dynamite_2026,
  title = {dynamite},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dynamite},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}