First recorded around 1765–75.
A variant of flabagast, which may be a combination of flabb(y), \"hanging loosely or limply\" or flap, \"a blow given with something broad and flat,\" and aghast, \"struck with overwhelming shock.\"
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF FLABBERGAST\r\n

The magician's disappearing act never failed to flabbergast the audience.
The unexpected news about the new mayor flabbergasted the community.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/F01/F0183700.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"verb","data":"to overcome with surprise and bewilderment; astound."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/flabbergast_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"Gp8HjKqJuiKb3O76MXKgh","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"electron-camera","entry":"electron camera"},{"slug":"electron-capture","entry":"electron capture"},{"slug":"electron-carrier","entry":"electron carrier"},{"slug":"electron-diffraction","entry":"electron diffraction"},{"slug":"electronegative","entry":"electronegative"}],"after":[{"slug":"electroneutral","entry":"electroneutral"},{"slug":"electron-gun","entry":"electron gun"},{"slug":"electron-hole","entry":"electron hole"},{"slug":"electronic","entry":"electronic"},{"slug":"electronica","entry":"electronica"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"electronegativity"},"requestId":"SHNjHu2nfZUI_4H6GaHdn","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"electronegativity"},"requestId":"aLxiE40d04E2_BbthexZz","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"electronegativity","slug":"electronegativity"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"the state of being electronegative\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]},{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a measure of the ability of a specified atom to attract electrons in a molecule\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":2,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[{"ipa":"ɪˌlɛktrəʊˌnɛɡəˈtɪvɪtɪ"}],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"electronegativity"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"electronegativity"},"requestId":"ikYZVM0nFHAZ3qpUWFJjC","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"electronegativity","displayForm":"electronegativity","canonicalSlug":"electronegativity","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"ac435df47.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"electronegativity","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":"(ɪˌlɛktrəʊˌnɛɡəˈtɪvɪtɪ)"},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"the state of being electronegative","postdefinitionContent":""},{"order":2,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"a measure of the ability of a specified atom to attract electrons in a molecule","postdefinitionContent":""}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":49868,"index-rank-01":["electronegativity"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"electronegativity"},"requestId":"eilCRYKW94g7vHXARMq0h","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["electronic media","electric outlet"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"electronic media","slug":"electronic%20media"},{"displayForm":"electric outlet","slug":"electric%20outlet"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"electronegativity"},"requestId":"2NBkwZqs3sbRziBZ98uMg","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

electronegativity

noun

Word of the Day