retumbo

Retumbo is a Portuguese noun with several related meanings centered on persistence or aftereffects. In its primary sense, it denotes the reverberation or lingering sound produced after a noise has ceased, similar to an echo or prolonged resonance. The term can also be used figuratively to describe the lasting consequences or aftereffects of an event, project, or decision.

Etymology and derivation reflect its root in the verb retumbar, meaning to rumble again. Retumbar itself traces to Latin retumbare, a formation built from the idea of sound returning or re-echoing. The noun retumbo thus captures both the acoustic tail of a sound and its broader, lasting impact.

Usage and register vary by context. In acoustics and technical discussions, reverberação or reverberation is the more common term in modern Portuguese, while retumbo appears more often in literary, rhetorical, or regional usage to evoke a sense of echoing impact. In metaphorical phrasing, retumbo conveys the notion that an event’s effects continue to resonate long after the initial moment, sometimes with social, political, or cultural implications.

Examples might include describing the retumbo of a loud thunderclap in a canyon, or the retumbo of a policy change that continues to influence public opinion. While closely related to reverberação and eco, retumbo carries a nuanced emphasis on both physical and figurative persistence.

See also: reverberação, eco, ressonância, repercussão, efeito colateral.