Astonished
/əˈstɒnɪʃt/noun
Extremely surprised or shocked.
Did you know?The verb behind “astonished” developed from a medieval metaphor comparing overwhelming shock to being stunned by a thunderclap.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stenh₂-
“To thunder or resound with a powerful striking sound”
Classical Latin
Latin
ex-tonāre
“To thunder out; literally, to thunder forth”
Late Latin
Latin
extonitus
“Thunderstruck or stunned”
12th–13th Century
Old French
estoner
“To stun, daze, or overwhelm as if struck by thunder”
14th Century
Middle English
astonien
“To stun, bewilder, or amaze”
Modern English
English
astonished
“Extremely surprised or shocked”