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 murmuring
moan, growl, purr, babble, whisper, stammer, burble, mutter, hum, utter, mumble, gurgle, trickle, flow, vocalize, stutter, drip, verbalize, rumble, droneExamples from the Web for murmuring
Contemporary Examples of murmuring
There was no applause, no murmuring, no debate; the crowd was simply, utterly, absolutely speechless.
Constance tipped her sunshade to shield her eyes, and she and Louis began a murmuring conversation which was impossible to catch.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the ShowRobert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
She enjoys the first of her new supply while murmuring "how dreadful" while reading at breakfast of the sinking of the Lusitania.
Baker, murmuring a word of support for the vilified Brooks, noted that she had been on vacation when the offense occurred.
Historical Examples of murmuring
Was it the murmuring of the dark stream as it washed upon the untrodden shore?
Life in LondonEdwin Hodder
"John Barsad," repeated madame, after murmuring it once to herself.
A Tale of Two CitiesCharles Dickens
Steenie went on for a while murmuring to himself at intervals.
Heather and SnowGeorge MacDonald
Something very faint and distant, not unlike the murmuring in a sea-shell.
Barnaby RudgeCharles Dickens
He was tossing feverishly from side to side, murmuring and muttering.
The First ViolinJessie Fothergill
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 murmuring
late 14c., verbal noun from murmur (v.).
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
murmur
(mûr′mər)- An abnormal sound heard on auscultation of the heart, lungs, or blood vessels.