Very large or noticeable; making heavy, loud sounds by hitting something repeatedly.
From Middle English 'thumpen,' likely imitative in origin, mimicking the sound of a heavy blow. The '-ing' suffix creates both the present participle and an intensifying adjective form. The word evolved from onomatopoeia to describe both the action and the magnitude of something.
Thumping is a perfect example of onomatopoeia—a word that sounds like what it means. Your heart thumps, a bass line thumps, and something can be a 'thumping victory'—the word itself echoes the action it describes.
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