Boombox
/ˈbuːmˌbɒks/noun
A portable radio and cassette player with built-in speakers.
Did you know?Boombox is a modern compound from the sound-imitating boom plus box, so unlike ancient “dark” words, its magic is cultural: it literally names a box made to project booming sound.
Etymological Timeline
20th Century
English
boom + box
“A portable radio-cassette player with large built-in speakers, named for its booming sound and box-shaped form.”
19th Century
English
boom
“A loud, resonant sound.”
Old English
OE
bōm
“A deep, hollow, resounding noise.”
Middle English
ME
boxe
“A box or receptacle.”
Old English
OE
box
“A container or chest, from Latin buxus via earlier borrowing, originally linked to the boxwood tree used for making small containers.”