Foudroyant

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KatyBr
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Foudroyant

Postby KatyBr » Fri May 06, 2005 12:40 am

Foudroyant (adj) Dazzling, flashing; thunderous, noisy, stunning

this is a new one for me

Katy


foudroyant

(foo-DROY-unt)

1.Dazzling, flashing.

2. Thunderous, noisy, stunning.

The Latin word for "lightning" is fulgur, which gave us the French synonym foudre, as well as foudroyant -- literally, "striking with (or like) lightning." (Foudroyant is also used in medicine to describe a disease that strikes with sudden severity.)

"Well, I have absolutely no idea what that halftime extravaganza was all about--but you have to admit it certainly was foudroyant."




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gailr
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Postby gailr » Fri May 06, 2005 10:25 pm

The Latin word for "lightning" is fulgur,
Etymonline gives fulgent:
1432, from L. fulgens (gen. fulgentis), prp. of fulgere "to shine," related to fulgur "lightning," flagrare "to blaze, glow, burn" (see phlegm).
and refulgent:
1509, from L. refulgentem (nom. refulgens), prp. of refulgere "flash back, shine brilliantly," from re- "back" + fulgere "to shine" (see phlegm).
and effulgence:
1667, from L.L. effulgentia, from L. effulgentum (nom. effulgens), prp. of effulgere "shine forth," from ex- "out" + fulgere "to shine" (see phlegm).
(Look, Katy, your lightening struck the same phlegm three times! Foudroyant indeed.)

gailr

Brazilian dude
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Postby Brazilian dude » Sat May 07, 2005 12:32 pm

Fulgur is indeed the noun, the other two you mentioned are adjectives.

Brazilian dude
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tcward
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Postby tcward » Sat May 07, 2005 8:32 pm

Someone needs to write a paperback about a foudroyant clairvoyant...

-Tim

Flaminius
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Postby Flaminius » Sun May 08, 2005 11:58 am

I have geen long wondering why French coup de foudre means "love at first sight." Now it's clear. It describes the lightning shock of falling in love.


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