Main Entry: det·o·nate

Pronunciation: \ˈde-t^ən-ˌāt, ˈde-tə-ˌnāt\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): det·o·nat·ed; det·o·nat·ing

Etymology: French détoner to explode, from Latin detonare to expend thunder, from de- + tonare to thunder — more at thunder

Date: 1729

intransitive verb : to explode with sudden violencetransitive verb 1 : to cause to detonate <detonate a bomb> — compare deflagrate
2 : to set off in a burst of activity : spark <programs that detonated controversies>

— det·o·nat·able \-ˌā-tə-bəl, -ˌnā-\ adjective

— det·o·na·tive \ˈde-t^ən-ˌā-tiv, ˈde-tə-ˌnā-\ adjective