Astonishment
/əˈstɒn.ɪʃ.mənt/noun
A feeling of great surprise or amazement.
Did you know?Astonish, astound, and stun are historically connected through an old idea of being struck, dazed, or overwhelmed as if by thunder.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stenh₂-
“To thunder or resound with a loud, forceful noise”
Classical Latin
Latin
tonāre
“To thunder”
Late Latin
Latin
*extonāre
“To thunder out; later interpreted as to stun or overwhelm”
Old French
Old French
estoner / estonir
“To stun, daze, or bewilder”
Middle English
Middle English
astonyen
“To stun, amaze, or leave someone mentally overwhelmed”
15th–16th Century
English
astonish / astonishment
“To amaze profoundly; the state of being profoundly amazed”
Explore more surprising origins