Library / English Dictionary

WONDER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state in which you want to learn more about something

Synonyms:

curiosity; wonder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("wonder" is a kind of...):

cognitive state; state of mind (the state of a person's cognitive processes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wonder"):

desire to know; lust for learning; thirst for knowledge (curiosity that motivates investigation and study)

interest; involvement (a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something)

curiousness; inquisitiveness (a state of active curiosity)

Derivation:

wonder (have a wish or desire to know something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something that causes feelings of wonder

Example:

the wonders of modern science

Synonyms:

marvel; wonder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("wonder" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Derivation:

wonder (be amazed at)

wondrous (extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

Synonyms:

admiration; wonder; wonderment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("wonder" is a kind of...):

amazement; astonishment (the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wonder"):

awe (an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration)

Derivation:

wonder (be amazed at)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have a wish or desire to know something

Example:

He wondered who had built this beautiful church

Synonyms:

enquire; inquire; wonder

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "wonder" is one way to...):

query; question (pose a question)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wonder"):

request (inquire for (information))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

wonder (a state in which you want to learn more about something)

wonderer (someone who is curious about something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Place in doubt or express doubtful speculation

Example:

she wondered whether it would snow tonight

Synonyms:

question; wonder

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "wonder" is one way to...):

chew over; contemplate; excogitate; meditate; mull; mull over; muse; ponder; reflect; ruminate; speculate; think over (reflect deeply on a subject)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wonder"):

scruple (have doubts about)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They wonder whether there was a traffic accident

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be amazed at

Example:

We marvelled at the child's linguistic abilities

Synonyms:

marvel; wonder

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "wonder" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue wonder over the results of the experiment

Derivation:

wonder (something that causes feelings of wonder)

wonder (the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising)

wonderer (someone filled with admiration and awe; someone who wonders at something)

wonderment (the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising)

Credits

 Context examples: 

When the Guardian of the Gate saw them again he wondered greatly that they could leave the beautiful City to get into new trouble.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

My coffee had not yet come, and I wondered what the cause of the delay could be.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I wonder if Renfield's quiet has anything to do with this.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"Yet you told him to go, Mother, and didn't cry when he went, and never complain now, or seem as if you needed any help," said Jo, wondering.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Oh, the wonder of the great trade-wind!

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

No wonder we found that poor Yankee's skeleton with the canes growin' between his ribs.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Long after it was dark I sat there, wondering whether anybody else would come.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“No wonder you get results that are beyond us. But some of these days you’ll go too far, and you’ll find yourself and your friend in trouble.”

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I wonder I didn’t drop.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)