bombard

Where does the word "bombard" come from? It comes from Latin bombus, passing through Old French before entering English (1590s).

Bombard’s story begins in Latin: bombus meant “booming sound.” From Greek 'bombos', a deep hollow sound. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as bombarde. An early stone-throwing cannon. It reached English by 1590s as bombard. 'bombard with questions' dates from the 1800s. Today, bombard means to attack continuously with shells or questions.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bombus "booming sound", from Greek 'bombos', a deep hollow sound.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval bombarde "cannon", an early stone-throwing cannon.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1590s bombard "to fire cannon at", 'bombard with questions' dates from the 1800s.