sudden

English Online Dictionary. What means sudden‎? What does sudden mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English sodeyn, sodain, from Anglo-Norman sodein, from Old French sodain, subdain (“immediate, sudden”), from Vulgar Latin *subitānus (“sudden”), from Latin subitāneus (“sudden”), from subitus (“sudden", literally, "that which has come stealthily”), originally the past participle of subīre (“to come or go stealthily”), from sub (“under”) + īre (“go”). Doublet of subitaneous. Displaced native Old English fǣrlīċ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʌdən/, [ˈsʌdn̩]
• Rhymes: -ʌdən
• Hyphenation: sud‧den

Adjective

sudden (comparative suddener, superlative suddenest)

1. Occurring quickly with little or no warning or expectation; instantly.
2. (obsolete) Hastily prepared or employed; quick; rapid.
3. (obsolete) Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate.

Synonyms

• (happening quickly): abrupt, precipitous, subitaneous; see also Thesaurus:sudden
• (hasty, rash): hotheaded, impetuous, impulsive; see also Thesaurus:reckless

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “happening quickly”): gradual; see also Thesaurus:gradual
• (antonym(s) of “all”): unsudden

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

sudden (comparative more sudden, superlative most sudden)

1. (poetic) Suddenly.

Noun

sudden (plural suddens)

1. (obsolete) An unexpected occurrence; a surprise.

Derived terms

• all of a sudden
• all of the sudden
• of a sudden
• on a sudden
• upon a sudden

Translations

Further reading

• “sudden”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “sudden”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “sudden”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Swedish

Noun

sudden

1. definite singular of sudd c
2. definite plural of sudd n