Stampede
/stæmˈpiːd/noun
A sudden, panicked rush of a crowd or herd.
Did you know?Stampede comes from Spanish and ultimately from a verb meaning to trample down, which is why the word feels physically explosive rather than merely descriptive.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Spanish
estampida
“a sudden rush or panic, especially of animals or people”
16th Century
Spanish
estampar
“to stamp, strike, or imprint”
14th Century
Old French
estamper
“to stamp, press, or crush”
Late Latin
Latin
stuppāre
“to stuff or plug; source of a separate development in some Romance forms”
Modern English
English
stampede
“a sudden, uncontrolled rush or panic”