sonné

Sonné is a French term that functions as the past participle of the verb sonner (to ring, to sound) and as an adjective. In standard usage, sonné indicates that a bell, alarm, or signal has emitted a sound, and it is most often seen in compound tenses with the auxiliary avoir, as in La cloche a sonné (The bell rang) or L’alarme a sonné (The alarm went off). As an adjective, it describes something that has produced a sound or, in idiomatic use, denotes a state of being stunned or knocked unconscious.

Etymology and linguistic notes

Sonné derives from the Old French verb sonner, itself from Latin sonare, meaning to sound. The form retains the core sense of producing a sound and, through figurative extension, can describe a person who has been rendered dazed or stunned.

Usage and examples

- The bell has rung: La cloche a sonné.

- The alarm went off: L’alarme a sonné.

- Slang/colloquial: Il est sonné. (He is dazed or knocked out.)

- After a fall or impact, one might say Il était sonné. (He was dazed.)

Related terms

- Sonnerie: the act or result of ringing; a ring tone or bell sound.

- Sonneur: a bell-ringer or person who rings a bell.

- Sonorité: the quality or character of a sound.

Sonné is primarily a French linguistic term and appears in discussions of tense construction, pronunciation, and idiomatic usage.