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fulminate

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fulminate¹

  • /ˈfʌlmɪneɪt/ UK
  • /ˈfʊlmɪneɪt/ UK
  • /ˈfʌlmɪneɪt/ US
  • /ˈfʊlmɪneɪt/ US
  • /-əneɪt/ US

Where it comes from

Inherited from Middle English fulminaten, borrowed from Latin fulminātus, perfect passive participle of fulminō (“to lighten, hurl or strike with lightning”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from fulmen (“lightning which strikes and sets on fire, thunderbolt”), from earlier *fulgmen, *fulgimen, from fulgeō, fulgō (“flash, lighten”). Doublet of fulmine. More at fulgent.

verb fulminates · fulminating · fulminated

  1. figuratively, intransitive To make a verbal attack. In short, the criticism which the great lexicographer fulminated against an unfortunate author, seems to have been adopted by the profession as applicable to everything under the sun […]

    Similar: berate, condemn, criticize, denounce, denunciate, vilify

  2. figuratively, transitive To issue as a denunciation. They fulminated the most hostile of all decrees.
  3. intransitive To thunder or make a loud noise.
  4. archaic, transitive To strike with lightning; to cause to explode. the present owners couldn't afford the electric bills anymore, several amateur gaffers, sad to say, having already been fulminated trying to bootleg power in off the municipal lines.
  5. figuratively to act as lightning, appearing quickly and destructively

fulminate²

  • /ˈfʌlmɪneɪt/ UK
  • /ˈfʊlmɪneɪt/ UK
  • /ˈfʌlmɪneɪt/ US
  • /ˈfʊlmɪneɪt/ US
  • /-əneɪt/ US

Where it comes from

From fulminic acid + -ate (“salt or ester”). By surface analysis, fulmine + -ate.

noun fulminates

  1. Any salt or ester of fulminic acid, mostly explosive. On 19 February a jubilant Bigeard announced that his 3rd R.P.C. had seized eighty-seven bombs, seventy kilos of explosive, 5,120 fulminate of mercury detonators, 309 electric detonators, etc.

Translations

Every language

verb To make a verbal attack

Españolfulminar
Русскийпорицать poricatʹ

verb To issue as a denunciation

Españolfulminar

verb To strike with lightning

Españolfulminar
Portuguêsfulminar
Françaisfoudroyer

noun Any salt or ester of fulminic acid

Españolfulminato
Françaisfulminate

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Cite this
MLA

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

APA

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

Chicago

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

BibTeX
@misc{fulminate_2026,
  title = {fulminate},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fulminate},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}