- Today's Word
Fulminate
FULL-mih-nayt
Definition
(verb) To express vehement protest or criticism; to explode violently or flash like lightning.
Example
The senator fulminated against the proposed legislation during a heated press conference.
Word Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin “fulminatus,” past participle of “fulminare” meaning “to strike with lightning,” from “fulmen” meaning “lightning.”
Fun Fact
Fulminate originally described literal lightning strikes before evolving to describe explosive anger. The chemistry connection remains strong: fulminating compounds are highly unstable explosives that detonate from the slightest disturbance. Mercury fulminate was used in blasting caps and firearm primers precisely because it explodes so violently. When someone fulminates verbally, they’re essentially detonating—their words strike with lightning speed and explosive force. The Pope can issue a fulmination, a formal denunciation accompanied by excommunication, keeping the word’s most dramatic ecclesiastical use alive.