blast
/blæst/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*blēstiz — blowing, wind
Overview
Meaning Now
- A strong gust of wind or air.
- The explosion of a bomb or other device.
- A loud, powerful sound, typically from a horn or instrument.
Literal older meaning
a blowing or gust of wind
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
blæst
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originally referred to the physical sensation of moving air. By the 16th century, the meaning expanded to include the sound of wind instruments, and later, the shock wave created by an explosion.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*blēstiz
“blowing”
- Old English
blæst
“a gust of wind, blowing”
- Middle English
blast
“a gust of wind, explosion”
Connections
Word parts
blast
root
to blow
Related across languages
Old Norse
blástr
breath, blowing
Middle Low German
blāst
blowing
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.