Resoner

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Something, such as a hollow chamber or vibrating body, that amplifies sound by vibrating in sympathy with a particular pitch
2. A hollow object or structure that reinforces sound through sympathetic vibration at its natural frequency
3. A body or cavity that boosts and sustains a tone by vibrating in step with the sound waves that reach it

Etymology: "Resoner" is built from the Latin verb "resonare," meaning "to echo," which combined "re-" ("back" or "again") with "sonare," "to sound." The same root gives us "sonata," which comes through Italian "sonare," "to sound," and a piece of music was originally simply something sounded rather than sung. In English, "resoner" is an agent noun, a word formed by adding the "-er" ending to a verb to name the thing or person that performs the action. It therefore means something that resounds or echoes, such as a hollow body that gives back a sound. It is far less common than its verb, "resonate," and its relative "resound," and is mostly found in older or specialized writing.