sonorous

American  

[suh-nawr-uhs, -nohr-, son-er-uhs] / səˈnɔr əs, -ˈnoʊr-, ˈsɒn ər əs /

adjective

1. giving out or capable of giving out a sound, especially a deep, resonant sound, as a thing or place.

   a sonorous cavern.

2. loud, deep, or resonant, as a sound.

3. rich and full in sound, as language or verse.

4. high-flown; grandiloquent.

   a sonorous speech.

   Synonyms:

   orotund , grandiose , florid , eloquent

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sonorous British  

/ səˈnɔːrəs, səˈnɒrɪtɪ, ˈsɒnərəs /

adjective

1. producing or capable of producing sound

2. (of language, sound, etc) deep or resonant

3. (esp of speech) high-flown; grandiloquent

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Other Word Forms

• multisonorous adjective
• multisonorously adverb
• multisonorousness noun
• sonority noun
• sonorously adverb
• sonorousness noun
• unsonorous adjective
• unsonorously adverb
• unsonorousness noun

Etymology

Origin of sonorous

1605–15; < Latin sonōrus noisy, sounding, equivalent to sonōr-, stem of sonor sound ( son ( āre ) to sound ¹ + -or -or ¹ ) + -us -ous

Example Sentences

If the Dodgers win, they move on to the NL Championship Series, where Kershaw could get a chance to end his career on a more sonorous note than the clunker he played Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

Low sonorous chanting resonated through the hall as ritual smoke lingered in the still, humid air.

From BBC

There are indelible voices in entertainment, and there is James Earl Jones’ baritone, variously described as sonorous, commanding, and booming.

From Salon

Mr. Pigg’s deep, sonorous voice was also a staple of television.

From New York Times

It’s startlingly similar to what happens when he stands on opera stages — all 6 feet, 5 inches of him — and bellows in his sonorous bass-baritone; you are irrevocably drawn in.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• booming
• ringing
• thundering