clangor

American  

[klang-er, klang-ger] / ˈklæŋ ər, ˈklæŋ gər /

especially British, clangour

noun

1. a loud, resonant sound; clang.

2. clamorous noise.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make a clangor; clang.

Usage

See -our.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• clangorously
  adverb
• clangorous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of clangor

1585–95; < Latin: loud sound, noise, equivalent to clang ( ere ) to clang + -or -or ¹

Explanation

Clangor is one of those words that means exactly what it sounds like, so you can feel free to describe the noise your brother makes when he's banging on his drums in the basement as a clangor. The word clangor brings to mind clanking sounds, but it can also be used to mean any kind of resounding, deafening noise, such as the shouting of a crowd. When you instinctively know what a word means just by the way it sounds — like clangor — that's called onomatopoeia.