verb

résonner

resonate

C’est quand un son se propage et revient, comme un écho dans une pièce vide.

Word: résonner

Language: French

Meaning:

The verb résonner means "to resonate" or "to echo" in English. It is used to describe the effect when sound waves bounce back off surfaces and fill a space, or more figuratively, when an idea or sentiment resonates with someone emotionally or intellectually.

Explanation:

Étymology: The word comes from the Latin resonare, meaning "to sound again" or "to echo."
It is a regular -er verb in French.

Definitions:

Literal (Acoustic) meaning:
- When a sound resonates or echoes in a space.
- Example:
  La cloche résonne dans la vallée.
  (The bell resonates/echoes through the valley.)
Figurative meaning:
- When an idea, feeling, or message "resonates" with someone, meaning it strongly connects, moves, or influences them.
- Example:
  Son discours a résonné avec le public.
  (His speech resonated with the audience.)

Parts:

ré- : a prefix meaning "again" or "back"
sonner : verb meaning "to sound" or "to ring"

Combined, résonner literally means "to sound again," hence "to reverberate" or "to resonate."

Synonyms (some context-dependent):

Échoir (to echo, but less common as a verb)
Retentir (to resound)
Réverbérer (to reverberate)
Vibrer (to vibrate — close in figurative meaning, more in physical)
Toucher (in figurative sense: to touch someone emotionally)

Antonyms:

S'effacer (to fade away in sound)
Sourdiner (to buzz softly, reduce sound)
In figurative sense, antonyms would be "to have no effect" or "fall flat," but exact single-word opposites are rare.

Summary:

Résonner is primarily about the acoustic phenomenon of sound echoing or resonating. It is also widely used figuratively to express a strong emotional or intellectual impact, when someone's words or ideas "resonate" with people. The word communicates the idea of repetition and vibration, evident both in sound and meaning.