detonare

Detonare is an Italian verb meaning to detonate or to cause an explosion. In everyday language it can describe any sudden blast, but in technical contexts it refers to initiating an explosive reaction.

In explosives engineering, detonation is a rapid exothermic process that propagates through a material as a shock wave, typically at supersonic speeds. Detonare means to initiate this process, usually via a detonator or another initiating device. The corresponding noun is detonazione, and the related term deflagrazione denotes a slower, subsonic burning rather than a shock-driven explosion.

Detonare is used in mining, demolition, military ordnance, and safety testing, as well as in figurative language to describe triggering a sudden or dramatic turn of events. Common collocations include detonare una carica (to detonate a charge) and detonazione controllata (controlled detonation). Because handling explosives is highly regulated, the term is typically confined to professional, legal contexts and precise procedures.

Etymology traces to Italian roots with cognates in other Romance languages; in practice, detonazione, detonatore, and related terms form part of the standardized technical vocabulary in explosive engineering and safety disciplines.