Etymology

thunderbox

thund·er·box
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Today it means: A chamber pot enclosed in a box; a portable commode. Full definition →

German Donnerbüchse ← Dutch donderbus
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thunderbox · noun1

From thunder + box. Senses 1 and 2 (“portable commode; any lavatory or toilet”) are probably because of the noises that may be made while defecating.

thunderbox · noun2

  1. Dutch · calque ofdonderbus“blunderbuss”
  2. German · calque ofDonnerbüchse“(archaic) blunderbuss; cannon”
  3. English todaythunderbox

Probably a calque of German Donnerbüchse (“(archaic) blunderbuss; cannon”) (from Donner (“thunder”) + Büchse (“box; can; rifle”)), or its etymon Dutch donderbus (“blunderbuss”) (from donder (“thunder”) + bus (“box; container; (chiefly historical) type of early modern firearm”)).

Words from the same roots

Dutchdonderbus all →

blunderbuss

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.