boom

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: bo͞om (UK) IPA(key): /buːm/; occasionally /bʊm/ (in the interjection only) when mild (US) IPA(key): /bum/ Rhymes: -uːm === Etymology 1 === Onomatopoeic, perhaps borrowed; compare German bummen, Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”). The sense "a period of economic growth" is generally taken to derive from the sense "a rapid expansion", although other origins have also been suggested. ==== Verb ==== boom (third-person singular simple present booms, present participle booming, simple past and past participle boomed) To make a loud, hollow, resonant sound. (transitive, figuratively, of speech) To exclaim with force, to shout, to thunder. (intransitive) To flourish, grow, or progress. Synonyms: flourish, prosper (transitive) To make (something) boom. (of a Eurasian bittern) To make a deep, resonant, territorial vocalisation. (aviation): (intransitive) To cause a sonic boom. (transitive, slang) To subject (someone or something) to a sonic boom. (slang, US, obsolete) To publicly praise, to rally behind. (of a vehicle) To rush forwards with such violent intensity that it generates a sustained, overwhelming, roaring noise; especially from the perspective of a bystander who has been suddenly subjected to it. (computer chess, slang) To rapidly adjust the evaluation of a position away from zero, indicating a likely win or loss. Antonym: moob (transitive, dated) To cause to advance rapidly in price. ===== Derived terms ===== boom off boom box boom-boom boomstick boom town ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== boom (plural booms) A low-pitched, resonant sound, such as of an explosion. A rapid expansion or increase. (economics, business) A period of prosperity, growth, progress, or high market activity. Antonyms: depression (severe), recession (less severe) Coordinate term: vibecession (independent of metrics) (aviation) Ellipsis of sonic boom. One of the calls of certain monkeys or birds. (computer chess, slang) An instance of booming. Antonym: moob ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → German: Boom → Indonesian: bum → Japanese: ブーム (būmu) → Polish: boom → Russian: бум (bum) ===== Translations ===== ==== Interjection ==== boom Used to suggest the sound of an explosion. Used to suggest something happening suddenly or unexpectedly; voilà. The sound of a bass drum beating. The sound of a cannon firing. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== kaboom ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from Dutch boom (“tree; pole”). Doublet of beam. ==== Noun ==== boom (plural booms) (sailing) A spar extending the foot of a sail; a spar rigged outboard from a ship's side to which boats are secured in harbour. Coordinate terms: buoy, cathead (videography) A specially-designed, movable pole, used to suspend a microphone or camera high above the ground during filming or recording. (by extension) Ellipsis of boom microphone (a microphone supported on such a pole). A horizontal member of a crane or derrick, used for lifting. (electronics) The longest element of a Yagi-Uda antenna, on which the other, smaller antennae are transversally mounted. A floating barrier used to obstruct navigation, for military or other purposes; or used for the containment of an oil spill or to control the flow of logs from logging operations. (gymnastics) A gymnastics apparatus, similar to a balance beam, which must be traversed as part of an obstacle course, typically as a training exercise in school or as part of basic training for new military recruits. A wishbone-shaped piece of windsurfing equipment. The section of the arm on a backhoe closest to the tractor. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== bumpkin ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== boom (third-person singular simple present booms, present participle booming, simple past and past participle boomed) To extend, or push, with a boom or pole. (usually with "up" or "down") To raise or lower with a crane boom. === Anagrams === MOBO, mobo, moob == Afrikaans == === Etymology === From Dutch boom, from Middle Dutch bôom, from Old Dutch bōm, boum, from Proto-Germanic *baumaz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bʊə̯m/ === Noun === boom (plural bome, diminutive boompie) tree == Dutch == === Etymology 1 === From Middle Dutch bôom, from Old Dutch bōm, from Proto-West Germanic *baum, from Proto-Germanic *baumaz. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /boːm/ Hyphenation: boom Rhymes: -oːm ==== Noun ==== boom m (plural bomen, diminutive boompje n or boomken n) tree any solid, pole-shaped, usually wooden object beam mast Synonym: mast boom Synonym: giek ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: boom Berbice Creole Dutch: bom Jersey Dutch: bôm Negerhollands: bom, boom → Virgin Islands Creole: bom (archaic) Musi: bum (“dock”) Polish: bom, bum Skepi Creole Dutch: bom, boom Sranan Tongo: bon Aukan: bon → English: boom → Indonesian: bom (“tree, pole”), bum === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from English boom. Compare boem. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /buːm/ Hyphenation: boom Rhymes: -uːm ==== Noun ==== boom m (plural booms, diminutive boompje n) boom (rapid expansion or increase) ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 3 === From bodem with loss of intervocalic -d- (compare weder/weer, moeder/moer, and so forth); sometimes spelled boôm to indicate the lost consonant (as in Neêrland). ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /boːm/ Hyphenation: boom Rhymes: -oːm ==== Noun ==== boom m (uncountable, no diminutive) obsolete form of bodem (“soil”) === References === M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch] === See also === boom on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Boom in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911) == French == === Alternative forms === boum === Etymology === Borrowed from English boom. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bum/ === Noun === boom m (plural booms) boom (rapid expansion or increase) ==== Derived terms ==== ça boom papy boom === Further reading === “boom”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == German == === Pronunciation === === Verb === boom singular imperative of boomen == Italian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English boom, from Dutch boom. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbum/ Rhymes: -um === Noun === boom m (invariable) a boom (sound) a boom (crane) a boom (rapid expansion or increase) (economics, business) boom (period of prosperity) == Middle Dutch == === Etymology === From Old Dutch bōm, from Proto-West Germanic *baum. === Noun === bôom m tree beam, pole boom barrier ==== Inflection ==== ==== Descendants ==== Dutch: boomAfrikaans: boomBerbice Creole Dutch: bomJersey Dutch: bômNegerhollands: bom, boom→ Virgin Islands Creole: bom (archaic)Musi: bum (“dock”)Polish: bom, bumSkepi Creole Dutch: bom, boomSranan Tongo: bonAukan: bon→ English: boom→ Indonesian: bom (“tree, pole”), bum Limburgish: boum === Further reading === “boom”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000 Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “boom (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I == Polish == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English boom. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbum/ Rhymes: -um Syllabification: boom Homophone: bum === Noun === boom m inan (economics, business) boom (period of prosperity) boom (rapid expansion or increase) ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === boom in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN boom in Polish dictionaries at PWN == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English boom. === Pronunciation === === Noun === boom m (plural booms) a boom (sound) a boom (rapid expansion or increase) (economics, business) boom (period of prosperity) === Further reading === “boom”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “boom”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English boom. === Noun === boom n (plural boomuri) (economics, business) boom ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Alternative forms === bum (adapted) === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English boom. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbum/ [ˈbũm] Rhymes: -um === Noun === boom m (plural booms) a boom (sound) a boom (rapid expansion or increase) (economics, business) boom (period of prosperity) === Further reading === “boom”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025