Word of the Day: Stentorian

Stentorian [stĕn-tôr'ē-ən] refers to something extremely loud or powerful, usually a voice. Stentor was a herald in the Iliad, and he had a powerful voice. That is where the term comes from.

The blatant disregard for Human Rights, the stentorian racism and unashamed nepotism displayed by Mugabe and his pathetic goons is allowed to continue because of some mystical allegiance to the old African leadership club. (The Economist)

Watching an avalanche from a distance or hearing the stentorian cracking boom of a calving iceberg are unforgettable experiences. (USA Today)

Got Your Free eBook?


  • Subscribe to Daily Writing Tips and you will be able to download our free ebook: Basic English Grammar.
  • You will also get all our grammar, spelling, punctuation and writing tips.
  • The download link will go along with the first email (you might need to wait up to 24 hours).

2 Responses to “Word of the Day: Stentorian”

  1. Linda Hammond on February 17, 2009 3:09 am

    Re: Word for the day…Stentorian. Should not your first sample sentence from The Economist have verb third person plural?

    “…disregard…racism…nepotism…are allowed…”

  2. Bernadine on June 29, 2009 5:04 pm

    Would you say that Stentorian has a negative connotation? Could it be used to describe a loud, powerful, good thing? The two examples seem to describe it as something ominously loud.

Got something to say?





Recent Articles