What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between thunderbolt and thunder?

thunderbolt | thunder |

Thunder is a derived term of thunderbolt.



In figuratively terms the difference between thunderbolt and thunder

is that thunderbolt is an event that is terrible, horrific or unexpected while thunder is the spotlight.

As nouns the difference between thunderbolt and thunder

is that thunderbolt is a flash of lightning accompanied by a crash of thunder while thunder is the sound caused by the discharge of atmospheric electrical charge.

As a verb thunder is

to produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity; often used impersonally.

thunderbolt

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A flash of lightning accompanied by a crash of thunder.
  • (figuratively) An event that is terrible, horrific or unexpected.
  • * Dryden
    • the Scipios' worth, those thunderbolts of war
  • Vehement threatening or censure; especially, ecclesiastical denunciation; fulmination.
  • * Hakewill
    • He severely threatens such with the thunderbolt of excommunication.
  • (soccer) A very powerful shot.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=February 5 , author=Michael Kevin Darling , title=Tottenham 2 - 1 Bolton , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Substitute Niko Kranjcar's injury-time thunderbolt gave Tottenham a dramatic win over Bolton.}}
  • (paleontology) A belemnite, or thunderstone.
  • (heraldiccharge) A charge in the form of two joined bundles with four rays of lightning emerging from them, resembling the thunderbolt of Jupiter.

    • Derived terms

    * thunderbolt beetle

    See also

    * thunderclap

    thunder

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia thunder)
  • The sound caused by the discharge of atmospheric electrical charge.
    • Thunder ''is preceded by lightning.
  • A sound resembling thunder; especially, one produced by a jet airplane in flight.
  • A deep, rumbling noise.
    • Off in the distance, he heard the thunder of hoofbeats, signalling a stampede.
  • An alarming or startling threat or denunciation.
  • * Prescott
    • The thunders of the Vatican could no longer strike into the heart of princes.
  • (obsolete) The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The revenging gods / 'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend.
  • (figuratively) The spotlight.

    • Usage notes

    * roll, clap, peal are some of the words used to count thunder.

    Derived terms

    * thunder and lightning * thunderation * thunderbird * thunderbolt * thunderboomer * thunderbox * thunderclap * thundercloud * thunderhead * thunderous * thundersquall * thunderstorm * thunder thighs

    See also

    * lightning

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity; often used impersonally.
  • (label) To make a noise like thunder.
  • (label) To talk with a loud, threatening voice.
  • (label) To say (something) with a loud, threatening voice.
  • To produce something with incredible power
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 19 , author=Jonathan Stevenson , title=Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Just as it appeared Arsenal had taken the sting out of the tie, Johnson produced a moment of outrageous quality, thundering a bullet of a left foot shot out of the blue and into the top left-hand corner of Wojciech Szczesny's net with the Pole grasping at thin air.}}

    Derived terms

    * thunderer