Clangour

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklæŋɚ/

Definitions

1. A loud, resonant, and continuous metallic sound, or the persistent ringing noise produced by repeated striking of metal objects
2. A loud, persistent, and resonant metallic sound produced by the repeated striking or vibration of metal objects
3. The continuous, sharp, and clanging noise made by metal objects colliding or reverberating together

Etymology: The sound is named for its own noise: Latin "clangere" meant "to clang" or "to resound," and from it the Romans formed "clangor," a noun for a loud, ringing cry. The Latin root is imitative, so the word sounds much like what it names, and the same base lies behind a family of words for harsh, shrill calls. English borrowed "clangour" directly from Latin "clangor," keeping its Latin form almost unchanged. The "-our" spelling reflects the British habit of spelling Latin "-or" nouns with a "-our" ending, which is why American English writes "clangor" instead. Within the Latin noun itself, the ending traces back through Proto-Italic to much older Indo-European suffixes, but for an English reader the important point is simply that the word was taken over whole from Latin.

Synonyms: clang, clatter

Antonyms: silence, quiet