Murmuracioun

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic term for a low, steady sound such as a hum or whisper ; a discontented complaint or muttered grievance voiced in private
2. A soft, continuous noise like a distant hum ; the act of grumbling or quietly expressing dissatisfaction, as used in Middle English
3. A faint, unbroken sound heard from afar ; the muttering of discontent or a grudging complaint, common in medieval English writing

Etymology: In the Old Testament accounts of the Israelites in the wilderness, the people repeatedly grumbled against Moses and God. The Latin Vulgate Bible describes this complaining as "murmuratio," and medieval English translators carried that sense across. In Middle English, "murmuracioun" meant grumbling, discontent, or complaint, often against authority, rather than a soft sound. The word came into English through Old French "murmuracion" from Latin "murmuratio," a noun from "murmurare," to murmur. The Latin verb is imitative, echoing the low, humming sound it names. The idea of muttering a complaint grew out of that sense of a quiet, indistinct noise. The modern "murmuration," used of a flock of starlings, shares the same root.

Synonyms: murmur, murmuring, grumbling