étonner

See also: êtonner

French

Etymology

From Middle French estonner, from Old French estoner (“to be dizzy due to a violent blow”), of obscure origin. Possibly from Old Frankish *stunōn (“to make a loud sound”), from Proto-Germanic *stunōną (“to make a sound, groan”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten- (“to thunder, rustle, drone, groan”). Cognate with Old English stunian (“to crash, make a loud sound”) (see stun); or from a hypothetical Latin *extonare (“to thunder out”) from ex (“out”) + tonare (“to thunder”), ultimately from the same Proto-Indo-European root; or a fusion of both.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /e.tɔ.ne/
  • (file)

Verb

étonner

  1. to surprise
    Ce qui m'étonne, c'est qu'il n'en dise rien. ― What surprises me is that he isn't saying anything about it.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Further reading

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