whisper
Plural: whispers
Noun
- speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
- a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
- The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
- A rumor.
- A faint trace or hint (of something).
- A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.
- A private message to an individual in a chat room.
Verb
Verb Forms: whispered, whispering, whispers
- To speak very softly, often secretly or intimately.
- speak softly; in a low voice
- To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.
- To say (something) softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter (something) without sonant breath, without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound.
- To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper.
- To make a low, sibilant sound.
- To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting.
- To address in a whisper, or low voice.
- To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately.
- To send a private message to an individual in a chat room.
Examples
- He would whisper the letters to himself, trying to sound out valid word combinations.
- I spoke in a near whisper.
- The soup had just a whisper of basil.
- There are whispers of rebellion all around.
Origin / Etymology
From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwisprōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwisprōną (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweys-, *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”).
Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra (“to whisper”), Norwegian Bokmål hviske, kviskre (“to whisper”), Norwegian Nynorsk kviskre, kviskra (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Scrabble Score: 15
whisper: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordwhisper: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
whisper: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary