murmuration

[mur-muh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of murmuring.

2. a flock of starlings.

Word History and Origins

Origin of murmuration¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French murmuration, from Latin murmurātiōn-, stem of murmurātiō; murmur, -ation

Example Sentences

LEE VINING, Calif. — Thousands of birds fill the air over Mono Lake, banking and swooping in a swirling murmuration that resembles an aerial school of fish.

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"Breathtaking" footage of what was believed to be a peregrine falcon attempting to hunt during a murmuration of thousands of starlings has been captured on video.

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A drone photographer has captured video of a starling murmuration swooping over a seaside town.

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The phenomena, known as murmuration, is when huge groups of starlings come together to swoop and swirl across the sky.

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A murmuration is the name given to thousands of birds all swooping and diving in unison and the starlings of Belfast even appeared on BBC's Countryfile and The One Show.

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Related Words

• buzz 
• hum 
• muttering www.thesaurus.com
• rumble 
• whisper 

When To Use

What does murmuration mean?

Murmuration is the act or an instance of murmuring—making a continuous, low, and indistinct sound.Such a sound can be called a murmur. Examples include the sound of water in a stream, the wind through the trees, and the low, muffled sound of a TV in another room.This is the way the word is used in the phrase the murmur of the crowd, which refers to the collective sound of a lot of people talking at once. (In contrast, the roar of the crowd refers to collective cheering and is much louder.) In this case, murmuration could refer to the sound being made or the action of the people making it.Murmur also means to say something in a low tone that can’t be easily understood, especially to complain in such a way, but murmuration isn’t typically used in this sense.Murmuration is also a fanciful name for a flock of starlings (similar to other names for groups of birds and animals, like a murder of crows).Example: The endless murmuration of the creek was as good as a lullaby, soothing me to sleep.