murmur
- a low, continuous sound, as of a brook, the wind, or trees, or of low, indistinct voices.
- a mumbled or private expression of discontent.
- Also called heart murmur. Medicine/Medical.
- an abnormal sound heard on listening to the heart, usually through a stethoscope, produced by the blood passing through deformed cardiac valves.
- in some persons a similar sound heard when blood passes through normal valves.
- Phonetics. a voice quality in which vibration of the vocal cords is accompanied by the escape of a great deal of air, as in the (h) of ahead; breathy voice.
- to make a low or indistinct sound, especially continuously.
- to speak in a low tone or indistinctly.
- to complain in a low tone or in private.
- to sound by murmurs.
- to utter in a low tone: He murmured a threat as he left the room.
Origin of murmur
Synonyms for murmur
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for murmur
rumble, buzz, hum, whisper, muttering, moan, growl, purr, babble, stammer, burble, mutter, utter, mumble, gurgle, undertone, grumble, susurration, drone, whisperingExamples from the Web for murmur
Contemporary Examples of murmur
Selling off the extras, I saw my neighbor marvel at the scent and murmur that he wished he could afford one.
They occurred without a murmur of protest from the United States.
And if she did murmur something, why did Ingham choose not to record it?
Many Eastwood critics, few of them academics, have done a great deal more than just murmur.
As the curtain rose opening night, the audience let out a murmur—a subtle appreciation for beauty in the raw.
Historical Examples of murmur
As these occurred, a rustling and a murmur expressed the subdued applause.
The voice became a murmur, and then Andy knew that it had been some man speaking in his sleep.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
And in the painful cleaning of the wound he did not murmur once.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
And they submitted to this without a murmur; but all sighed for salt!
A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis MarionWilliam Dobein James
A change now came in the service, from the murmur of half-spoken prayers.
The DreamEmile Zola
murmur
- a continuous low indistinct sound, as of distant voices
- an indistinct utterancea murmur of satisfaction
- a complaint; grumblehe made no murmur at my suggestion
- med any abnormal soft blowing sound heard within the body, usually over the chestSee also heart murmur
- to utter (something) in a murmur
- (intr) to complain in a murmur
Word Origin for murmur
Word Origin and History for murmur
late 14c., "expression of discontent by grumbling," from Old French murmure "murmur, sound of human voices; trouble, argument" (12c.), noun of action from murmurer "to murmur," from Latin murmurare "to murmur, mutter," from murmur (n.) "a hum, muttering, rushing," probably from a PIE reduplicative base *mor-mor, of imitative origin (cf. Sanskrit murmurah "crackling fire," Greek mormyrein "to roar, boil," Lithuanian murmlenti "to murmur"). Meaning "softly spoken words" is from 1670s.
murmur
(mûr′mər)- An abnormal sound heard on auscultation of the heart, lungs, or blood vessels.