Thunk
/θʌŋk/noun
A heavy, dull sound, or the sound of something hitting or dropping heavily.
Did you know?Thunk is an onomatopoeic word, meaning English basically built it to imitate the sound of a heavy object landing or striking, which is why it feels so physical and immediate.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
thunk
“A heavy, dull impact sound”
19th Century
English
thunk
“An expressive sound word used for a heavy knock or blow”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*thunk-
“No securely reconstructed ancestral form is established; the English word is generally treated as expressive/imitative”
Old English
OE
—
“No direct attested Old English ancestor is securely documented”