Definition of FULMINATE

fulminate

Plural: fulminates

Noun

  • a salt or ester of fulminic acid
  • Any salt or ester of fulminic acid, mostly explosive.

Verb

  • criticize severely
    • "He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare"
  • come on suddenly and intensely
    • "the disease fulminated"
  • cause to explode violently and with loud noise
  • To make a verbal attack.
  • To issue as a denunciation.
  • To thunder or make a loud noise.
  • To strike with lightning; to cause to explode.
  • to act as lightning, appearing quickly and destructively

Origin / Etymology

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.

Scrabble Score: 14

fulminate: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
fulminate: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
fulminate: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 18

fulminate: valid Words With Friends Word