Meanings
plural reverberations · alternative reverbation
- countableuncountableA violent oscillation or vibration.
The discomfort caused by the bat's reverberation surprised Tommy.
- countableuncountableAn echo, or a series of overlapping echoes.
The reverberation that followed Marilyn's shout filled the cavern.
- countableuncountableThe reflection of light or heat; a reflection in, or as though in, a mirror.
Like the several reverberations of the same image from two opposite looking glasses.
- countablein pluraluncountableAn evolving series of effects resulting from a particular event; a repercussion.
Reverberations from the Vietnam war affect our society to this day.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves
nouna remote or indirect consequence of some action
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Italic*wre-
- Latinre-
- Proto-Indo-European*werb(h)-os
- Proto-Indo-European*werb⁽ʰ⁾-os
- Proto-Italic*wer(β/b)os
- Latinverber
- Latinverberō
- Latinreverberō
- Medieval Latinreverberātiō
- Old Frenchreverberation
- Englishreverberation
From Old French reverberation, from Medieval Latin reverberātiō. Morphologically reverberate + -ion.
More words from Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian ехо, ехтене
- ехо (eho)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
- ехтене (ehtene)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
- отражение (otraženie)reflection of light or heat
Chinese Cantonese 迴響 /回响
- 迴響 /回响 (wui⁴ hoeng²)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
Dutch terugslag, weerklank
- terugslagviolent oscillation or vibration
- weerklankecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- echoecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- weerkaatsingreflection of light or heat
- repercussieevolving series of effects
Esperanto resonado
- resonadoecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Finnish värinä, kaiku
- värinäviolent oscillation or vibration
- kaikuecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- jälkikaiuntaecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- jälkikaikuecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- kajeecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- heijastusreflection of light or heat
- jälkikaiutevolving series of effects
French contrecoup, echo
- contrecoupviolent oscillation or vibration
- echoecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- réflexionreflection of light or heat
- répercussionevolving series of effects
German Zurückschlagen, Hall
- Zurückschlagenviolent oscillation or vibration
- Hallecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Nachhallecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Widerhallecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Widerklangecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Nachhallenecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Widerschallenecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Zurückschallenecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Nachklangecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- Widerscheinreflection of light or heat
- Zurückwerfenreflection of light or heat
- Zurückstrahlenreflection of light or heat
Irish aisfhuaimniú, frithchaitheamh
- aisfhuaimniúecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- frithchaitheamhecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- macallaecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- frithspréreflection of light or heat
- macallareflection of light or heat
- frithchaitheamhreflection of light or heat
Japanese 残響
- 残響 (zankyō)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
Māori paorangi, paorangi
- paorangiviolent oscillation or vibration
- paorangiecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Polish pogłos
- pogłosecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Portuguese reverberação, repercussão
- reverberaçãoecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- repercussãoevolving series of effects
Russian отраже́ние, ревербера́ция
- отраже́ние (otražénije)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
- ревербера́ция (reverberácija)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
- о́тзвук (ótzvuk)echo, or a series of overlapping echos
Slovak dozvuk
- dozvukecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Swedish efterklang
- efterklangecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Tagalog balingawngaw, balingawngaw
- balingawngawviolent oscillation or vibration
- balingawngawecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- ulyawecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Thai เสียงก้อง, เสียงกังวาน
- เสียงก้องecho, or a series of overlapping echos
- เสียงกังวานecho, or a series of overlapping echos
Cite this entry
reverberation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverberation
“reverberation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverberation. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reverberation,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reverberation.
Source: reverberation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.