Clonk

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /klɒŋk/

Definitions

1. A dull, heavy noise often made by one solid object hitting another ; to hit or strike causing a heavy dull noise
2. The characteristic sound produced by a blunt impact ; to deliver a blow that produces this sound
3. An acoustic sensation resembling a low thud ; the act of making this noise by forcefully striking something

Etymology: "Clonk" is onomatopoeic: its sound imitates the thing it names, the dull, hollow knock of a blunt object striking something solid. Its relatives are "clink", "clank" and "clunk", each shaped by the same instinct to build a word from a noise. The vowel tells the listener something about the sound. The high, bright "i" of "clink" suggests the ring of glass or coins, while the low, rounded "o" of "clonk" suggests something heavier and more muffled. The word works as both noun and verb. As a noun it names the sound itself, as in a clonk from a car engine, and as a verb it means to deliver a blow that produces that sound, or to strike something with a dull, resounding thud. Because the word was built to copy a sound, its meaning stays tied to that sound rather than shifting into abstract territory, so its history is best understood through the family of similar imitative words around it.

Synonyms: thud, bang