From Middle English ponderen, from Old French ponderer from Latin ponderare, from pondus, from pendere; see pendent and pound.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈpɒn.də(ɹ)/
• (America) IPA: /ˈpɑn.dɚ/

ponder (ponders, present participle pondering; simple past and past participle pondered)

1. To wonder, think of deeply.
2. To consider (something) carefully and thoroughly.

   Synonyms: chew over, mull over, Thesaurus:ponder

   I have spent days pondering the meaning of life.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Proverbs 4:26 ↗:

     Ponder the path of thy feet.

3. (obsolete) To weigh.

• French: songer, réfléchir
• German: grübeln
• Italian: ponderare
• Portuguese: ponderar
• Russian: размышля́ть
• Spanish: considerar, meditar, cavilar, discurrir

• French: s'interroger
• German: überlegen, nachdenken
• Italian: ponderare
• Portuguese: ponderar
• Russian: обду́мывать
• Spanish: ponderar

ponder (plural ponders)

1. (colloquial) A period of deep thought.

   I lit my pipe and had a ponder about it, but reached no definite conclusion.

1. Surname.