1729, intransitive, "explode suddenly and loudly," a back-formation from detonation, or else from Latin detonatus, past participle of detonare. Transitive sense of "cause to explode" is by 1801. Related: Detonated; detonating.
the bomb detonated at noon
detest
detestable
detestation
dethrone
dethronement
detonate
detonation
detonator
detour
detox
detoxicate