brutum fulmen

Latin noun phrase

: meaningless thunderbolt : an empty threat : an ineffectual legal judgment

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brutum fulmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutum%20fulmen. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster