Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Dazzling or stunning in effect.
- adjective Medicine Occurring suddenly and severely. Used of a disease.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Sudden and overwhelming in effect; like a lightning-stroke.
- Specifically, in pathology, beginning in a very sudden and severe form: said of disease.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Having an
awesome andoverwhelming effect.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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A variety of grass favored for pastures. foudroyant
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A variety of grass favored for pastures. foudroyant
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A variety of grass favored for pastures. foudroyant
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Helen Darley as a foil anybody would know she must be foudroyant and pyramidal, -- if these French adjectives may be naturalized for this one particular exigency.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 06, No. 37, November, 1860 Various
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"Splendid!" said the Widow -- and to tell the truth, she was not far out of the way, and with Helen Darley as a foil anybody would know she must be foudroyant and pyramidal, -- if these French adjectives may be naturalized for this one particular exigency.
Complete Project Gutenberg Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Works Oliver Wendell Holmes 1851
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"Splendid!" said the Widow -- and to tell the truth, she was not far out of the way, and with Helen Darley as a foil anybody would know she must be foudroyant and pyramidal, -- if these French adjectives may be naturalized for this one particular exigency.
Elsie Venner Oliver Wendell Holmes 1851
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Mornington (author of the well-known glees) as a cousin, and as intimately connected with her brother the great _foudroyant_ performer on the organ.
Note Book of an English Opium-Eater Thomas De Quincey 1822
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(all that was objectionable was attributed to this poor lady) had been so abominably clear-sighted, so odiously presuming as to have suspected this, his sudden blaze of anger was _foudroyant_.
whichbe commented on the word foudroyant
Sudden and overwhelming in effect; dazzling.
May 12, 2008
TankHughes commented on the word foudroyant
English -yant words from French: abeyant, buoyant, chatoyant, clairvoyant, flamboyant, foudroyant.
September 2, 2015