from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sonorous \So*no"rous\, a. [L. sonorus, fr. sonor, -oris, a
sound, akin to sonus a sound. See {Sound}.]
1. Giving sound when struck; resonant; as, sonorous metals.
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2. Loud-sounding; giving a clear or loud sound; as, a
sonorous voice.
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3. Yielding sound; characterized by sound; vocal; sonant; as,
the vowels are sonorous.
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4. Impressive in sound; high-sounding.
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The Italian opera, amidst all the meanness and
familiarty of the thoughts, has something beautiful
and sonorous in the expression. --Addison.
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There is nothing of the artificial Johnsonian
balance in his style. It is as often marked by a
pregnant brevity as by a sonorous amplitude. --E.
Everett.
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5. (Med.) Sonant; vibrant; hence, of sounds produced in a
cavity, deep-toned; as, sonorous rhonchi.
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{Sonorous figures} (Physics), figures formed by the
vibrations of a substance capable of emitting a musical
tone, as when the bow of a violin is drawn along the edge
of a piece of glass or metal on which sand is strewed, and
the sand arranges itself in figures according to the
musical tone. Called also {acoustic figures}.
{Sonorous tumor} (Med.), a tumor which emits a clear,
resonant sound on percussion.
[1913 Webster] -- {So*no"rous*ly}, adv. --
{So*no"rous*ness}, n.
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