/ ɪkˈspləʊʒn; NAmE -ˈsploʊ-/ noun
1.
[ C , U ] the sudden violent bursting and loud noise of sth such as a bomb exploding; the act of deliberately causing sth to explode :
a bomb / nuclear / gas explosion
There were two loud explosions and then the building burst into flames.
Bomb Squad officers carried out a controlled explosion of the device.
300 people were injured in the explosion.
2.
[ C ] a large, sudden or rapid increase in the amount or number of sth :
a population explosion
an explosion of interest in learning Japanese
3.
[ C ] ( formal ) a sudden, violent expression of emotion, especially anger
SYN outburst
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from Latin explosio(n-) scornful rejection, from the verb explodere drive out by clapping, hiss off the stage, from ex- out + plaudere to clap.