susurration

English

Etymology

From Latin susurratio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌsu.səˈreɪ.ʃən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

susurration (countable and uncountable, plural susurrations)

1. A low and indistinct whispering sound; a murmur.
   • 1898, Birds and All Nature, volume 4:

     Most of the Hummers are honey-lovers, and they extract the sweetest juices of the flowers. The "soft susurrations" of their wings, as they poise above the flowers, inserting their long beaks into tubes of nectar, announce their presence.

   • 1907, Ambrose Bierce, Beyond the Wall:

     The rain was now falling more steadily, with a low, monotonous susurration, interrupted at long intervals by the sudden slashing of the boughs of the trees as the wind rose and failed.

   • 1954, Robert Abernathy, The Record of Currupira:

     "If only that last part is a translation…." said Dalton hopefully. Then the alien susurration ceased coming from the reproducer and he closed his mouth abruptly and leaned forward.

   • 1965, Frank Herbert, Dune:

     Halleck nodded, heard the faint susurration and felt the air shift as a lockport swung open beside him.