murmur

[mur-mer] /ˈmɜr mər/

noun

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.

verb (used without object)

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.

verb (used with object)

to sound by murmurs.

to utter in a low tone:

He murmured a threat as he left the room.

Origin

1275-1325; (v.) Middle English murmuren < Latin murmurāre; (noun) Middle English < Latin

Related forms

murmurer, noun

murmurless, adjective

murmurlessly, adverb

unmurmured, adjective

unmurmuring, adjective

unmurmuringly, adverb

Synonyms

1. grumble, susurration, mumble, complaint, mutter. 6. Murmur, mumble, mutter mean to make sounds that are not fully intelligible. To murmur is to utter sounds or words in a low, almost inaudible tone, as in expressing affection or dissatisfaction: to murmur disagreement. To mumble is to utter imperfect or inarticulate sounds with the mouth partly closed, so that the words can be distinguished only with difficulty: to mumble the answer to a question. To mutter is to utter words in a low, grumbling way, often voicing complaint or discontent, not meant to be fully audible: to mutter complaints. 7. grouse.

Examples from the web for murmuring

With the bulk of the nearly four-hour surgery over, the veterinarians and engineers start murmuring about lunch.
Tents and small groups of murmuring alumni dot the courtyards.
Meanwhile, their murmuring resonates in your ear and their scribbles in your hand.
Listen closely, and you can hear murmuring in the village.
We say that the omitted dream speeches, which were disguised by a murmuring, were also sacrifices to a censorship.
Then, murmuring to himself, he examined the back of the counter and peered behind some fixtures.
As the bull sizes up its opponent, the crowd settles down into a contented murmuring, knowing a real contest is at hand.
There was a tense murmuring, as from a golf gallery.
High officials stood in small, nervous groups, murmuring.
At rest, a flock of tundras often communicate using a mellow murmuring.

British Dictionary definitions for murmuring

murmur

/ˈmɜːmə/

noun

a continuous low indistinct sound, as of distant voices

an indistinct utterance: a murmur of satisfaction

a complaint; grumble: he made no murmur at my suggestion

(med) any abnormal soft blowing sound heard within the body, usually over the chest See also heart murmur

verb -murs, -muring, -mured

to utter (something) in a murmur

(intransitive) to complain in a murmur

Derived Forms

murmurer, noun
murmuring, noun, adjective
murmuringly, adverb
murmurous, adjective

Word Origin

C14: as n, from Latin murmur; vb via Old French murmurer from Latin murmurāre to rumble

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.

late 14c., from Old French murmurer "murmur, grouse, grumble" (12c.), from murmur "rumbling noise" (see murmur (n.)). Related: Murmured; murmuring.

murmuring in Medicine

murmur mur·mur (mûr'mər)
n.
An abnormal sound heard on auscultation of the heart, lungs, or blood vessels.

murmuring in the Bible

of the Hebrews in the wilderness, called forth the displeasure of God, which was only averted by the earnest prayer of Moses (Num. 11:33, 34; 12; 14:27, 30, 31; 16:3; 21:4-6; Ps. 106:25). Forbidden by Paul (1 Cor. 10:10).