Buzz

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /bʌz/

Definitions

1. A persistent low, vibrating noise created by certain objects combined with a lively atmosphere of social interaction and the characteristic sound produced by bees in flight
2. An ongoing drone resulting from various vibrating entities along with a heightened sense of energy or engagement, plus the distinct noise emitted by bees as they move
3. A steady humming or vibrating sound produced by objects or electronic devices ; lively conversation or a strong feeling of excitement among people ; the characteristic sound emitted by bees flying or working

Etymology: Buzz is one of English's most straightforwardly imitative words: it was formed to sound like the thing it names. The Middle English verb "bussen" is suggested as its ancestor, though that form is reconstructed from the related participle "bussyng" ("buzzing"), so the evidence points to a sound-echoing root rather than a borrowing from another language. Related Middle English forms such as "bunning," "hossing," and "bissen" (the last meaning "to hush") show how many spellings speakers tried for the same droning noise. The word has a Scottish cousin, "bizz," meaning to buzz, which suggests the sound was captured independently in more than one dialect. Its modern meanings, such as a rumour spreading through a room or a thrill of excitement, grew out of the same image of a steady, restless hum that cannot be pinned to any single source.

Synonyms: hum, drone

Antonyms: silence, quiet