Thwang

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To produce a loud, sharp twanging noise, like a plucked string or elastic suddenly released
2. To emit a sharp, vibrating sound with a twang, as when something strikes or snaps taut
3. To make a sharp, resonant twanging sound by striking or releasing something with tension

Etymology: "Thwang" is an imitative word, built to sound like the thing it names: the sharp, resonant vibration of a taut string, spring, or elastic band. It is most likely a variant of "twang" with an extra initial "th-" sound, which gives the word a heavier, more emphatic snap. English has other imitative words with the same onset, such as "thwack," that similarly add force to a basic sound. The word's pattern shows how English speakers have long formed sound words. Rather than borrowing from another language, they start from the sound a thing makes and shape its letters to suggest its texture. A plucked bowstring twangs, while a heavier, more sudden impact can thwang, so the added consonant cluster seems to carry the weight of the sound. Its exact early history is uncertain, so the sound itself is the most reliable clue to its meaning.