purr

American  

[pur] / pɜr /

Archaic, pur

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a low, continuous, murmuring sound expressive of contentment or pleasure, as a cat does.

2. (of things) to make a sound suggestive of the purring of a cat.

   The new motor of the car purred.

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verb (used with object)

1. to express by or as if by purring.

noun

1. the low, vibrating sound made by a cat by the contracting of the laryngeal muscles and the diaphragm as it breathes.

2. a sound resembling this.

3. the act of purring.

purr British  

/ pɜː /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of cats) to make a low vibrant sound, usually considered as expressing pleasure, etc

2. (tr) to express (pleasure, etc) by this sound

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noun

1. a purring sound

Other Word Forms

• purringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of purr

First recorded in 1595–1605; imitative

Explanation

The happy sound a relaxed cat makes is a purr. A purr is low and fluttery, and you can feel it vibrating in the cat's body. Your pet cat purrs, and so do some of her larger relatives, like the puma and the bobcat, as well as the cat-like animal called a genet, raccoons, badgers, tapirs, and even guinea pigs. Scientists aren't entirely sure how a cat purrs, but they do know that felines can either purr or roar, but not both (lions, for example, don't purr). They also suspect that a purr evolved as communication between mother cats and nursing kittens.

Example Sentences

Mr Purr, from Cambridge, said he carried cards in his wallet instead, or used his smartphone to pay.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2022

In fact, my cat’s full name is Aaron Purr Sir.

From New York Times • Oct. 5, 2021

Purr evil: cats in movies with hidden agendas - ranked!

From The Guardian • Aug. 1, 2019

Animal number one, the cat Purr, is designated as X1, animal number 2, Toto, is designated as X2 and so on through Dundee who is animal number 10 and is designated as X10.

From Textbooks • Nov. 29, 2017

Purr laid himself down, tucked his front paws under the white spot on his chest, and looked at her with his gooseberry eyes.

From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman