sonder

Meaning

1. to realise random people have a life (the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own)
2. to probe (test with a probe)
3. to probe (test the depth of something)
4. to probe (test the depth of something)
5. to probe (look carefully around)
6. to probe (ask someone many questions, in order to find something out)
7. to survey and take measurements using a weather balloon
8. to survey (carry out a survey or poll)
9. to dive down

Concepts

probe

sound

🔉

plumb

examine

scan

fathom

scrutinize

drill

poll

economise

enquire

explore

inspect

investigate

lay away

percussion

question

❓

scrimp

sound out

study

survey

tapping

view

indagate

sounding someone out

search

put out feelers

analyse

analyze

bore

canvas

canvass

cast

catheterize

delve

Synonyms

examiner

rechercher

🔍

étudier

explorer

enquêter

percuter

perforer

reconnaître

scruter

se renseigner

superviser

tâter

vérifier

visiter

enquérir

enquêter sur

chercher

percution

analyser

forer

fouiller

inspecter

Pronounced as (IPA)

/sɔ̃.de/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French sonder, from Old French sonder (“to plumb”), from sonde (“sounding line”), from Old English sund- (“sounding”), as in sundġierd (“sounding-rod”), sundlīne (“sounding-line, lead”), sundrāp (“sounding-rope, lead”), from Old English sund (“ocean, sea”), from Proto-West Germanic *sund, from Proto-Germanic *sundą (“a swim, body of water, sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to be unsteady, swim”). Cognate with Old Norse sund (“swimming; strait, sound”). More at sound.