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stupeur

stupor

noun stü-PUHR Rare

Origin: Latin stupor (numbness, amazement)

Also means

astonishment

Usage Note

Stupeur conveys a stunned, speechless state — stronger than simple surprise. The phrase frappé de stupeur ('struck dumb') is a common literary colocation. The related adjective stupéfait (stupefied) and verb stupéfier share the same root and appear frequently in news writing.

Examples

"La nouvelle nous a plongés dans la stupeur."

Natural Translation

The news plunged us into stupor.

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