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detonation (n.)

1670s, "explosion accompanied by loud sound," from French détonation, from Medieval Latin detonationem (nominative detonatio), from Latin detonare "to thunder down, to release one's thunder, roar out," from de "down" (see de-) + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder (n.)). Sense of "act of causing to explode" (mid-18c.) developed in French.

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Definitions of detonation from WordNet

detonation (n.)
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction;
Synonyms: explosion / blowup
detonation (n.)
the act of detonating an explosive;
From wordnet.princeton.edu