Etymology
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fulminate (v.)

early 15c., "publish a 'thundering' denunciation; hurl condemnation (at an offender)," a figurative use, from Latin fulminatus, past participle of fulminare "hurl lightning, lighten," figuratively "to thunder," from fulmen (genitive fulminis) "lightning flash," related to fulgor "lightning," fulgere "to shine, flash," from PIE *bhleg- "to shine, flash," from root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn." Metaphoric sense (the oldest in English) in reference to formal condemnation is from Medieval Latin fulminare, used of formal ecclesiastical censures. Related: Fulminated; fulminating.

Entries linking to fulminate

*bhel- (1)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine, flash, burn," also "shining white" and forming words for bright colors.

It forms all or part of: beluga; Beltane; black; blancmange; blanch; blank; blanket; blaze (n.1) "bright flame, fire;" bleach; bleak; blemish; blench; blende; blend; blind; blindfold; blitzkrieg; blond; blue (adj.1); blush; conflagration; deflagration; effulgence; effulgent; flagrant; flambe; flambeau; flamboyant; flame; flamingo; flammable; Flavian; Flavius; fulgent; fulminate; inflame; inflammable; phlegm; phlegmatic; phlogiston; phlox; purblind; refulgent; riboflavin.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit bhrajate "shines;" Greek phlegein "to burn;" Latin flamma "flame," fulmen "lightning," fulgere "to shine, flash," flagrare "to burn, blaze, glow;" Old Church Slavonic belu "white;" Lithuanian balnas "pale."

fulminant (adj.)
c. 1600, "fulminating, thundering," from French fulminant or directly from Latin fulminantem (nominative fulminans), present participle of fulminare "to hurl lightning" (see fulminate). As a noun from 1808.
fulmination (n.)

c. 1500, "act of thundering forth denunciations," from French fulmination, from Latin fulminationem (nominative fulminatio) "a discharge of lightning," noun of action from past-participle stem of fulminare "to hurl lightning" (see fulminate). Literal sense "act of exploding or detonating" (1620s) is rare in English.

updated on October 14, 2017

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Definitions of fulminate from WordNet
1
fulminate (v.)
criticize severely;
He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut Medicare
Synonyms: rail
fulminate (v.)
come on suddenly and intensely;
the disease fulminated
fulminate (v.)
cause to explode violently and with loud noise;
2
fulminate (n.)
a salt or ester of fulminic acid;
Etymologies are not definitions. From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near fulminate

full-length

fullness

full-time

fully

fulminant

fulminate

fulmination

fulness

fulsome

fumble

fumbling

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