sonorous
Americanadjective
adjective
-
producing or capable of producing sound
-
(of language, sound, etc) deep or resonant
-
(esp of speech) high-flown; grandiloquent
Other Word Forms
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
Explanation
Used to describe sound or speech that is full, rich, and deep, sonorous is a great word for snoring, for bass voices, and for low notes on the tuba. Skip the first "o" and you'll see snore inside this word, which should give you a clue as to its deeply resonant character. Another way to remember sonorous is that son sounds like "sound," and that's what this word is all about.
Vocabulary lists containing sonorous
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Common Senses: Son ("Sound")
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Low sonorous chanting resonated through the hall as ritual smoke lingered in the still, humid air.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2025
There are indelible voices in entertainment, and there is James Earl Jones’ baritone, variously described as sonorous, commanding, and booming.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2024
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 ● Apr. 15, 2024
On songs like “Rescue,” Ian McCulloch’s sonorous baritone recalls Jim Morrison at his most majestic.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2023
Rader said, in a voice that was both sonorous and emphatic, sometimes aggressive, that Fischer would like to announce that he will soon be back at the 64 squares and 32 pieces again...quite soon.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
