Spanish word

murmullo

Pronunciation

IPA/muɾˈmuʝo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwhisper

Example

Ella habló en un murmullo para no despertar a los niños.

She spoke in a whisper to avoid waking the children.

Illustration for murmullo (whisper)

More examples

Se oyó un murmullo de fondo durante la reunión.

A background murmur was heard during the meeting.

Core concept

Soft repeated rustling of voices.

Common phrases

  • un murmullo de fondo

    a background murmur

  • murmullo constante

    steady murmur

Similar words

susurro: Very quiet, breathy whisper spoken close to someone's ear.
murmuración: Low hushed voices exchanging complaints or gossip within a group.

Definition in Spanish

Sonido de voz bajo e indistinto producido al hablar en voz muy baja; también la acción o el resultado de hablar así.

Word origin

An onomatopoeic word from Latin murmur 'low repeated sound' that passed through a Vulgar Latin form *murmullus into Spanish murmullo.

Usage tips

  • English murmur can mean a private complaint or a medical noise, whereas murmullo usually names the audible, indistinct sound and pairs with the verb murmurar.

Other meanings

  • murmurnoun

Opposites

  • griteríouproarnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word