Bang
/bæŋ/noun
A sudden loud explosive or striking sound.
Did you know?English bang is probably echoic, but it belongs to a whole family of sound-imitating words that languages repeatedly reinvent to make noise feel physical.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
bang
“A heavy blow or a loud striking sound, likely imitative in origin.”
Early Modern English
English
bang
“To strike hard; to make or give a loud report.”
Modern English
English
bang
“A sudden loud noise, especially an explosive one.”
Modern English
English
bang
“To strike or hit sharply; also, in slang, to have sexual intercourse.”