Tutting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The sharp clicking sound produced by the tongue against the palate often signifies discontent or irritation
2. A clicking noise made with the tongue may serve to express displeasure or annoyance
3. The clucking noise created by the tongue could indicate feelings of disapproval or discomfort

Etymology: The dance style called tutting takes its name from Tut, the popular nickname of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. Its stiff, geometric poses, built from sharp right angles, were likened to the angular figures of ancient Egyptian art, and the name stuck to the moves. The tongue-click sense is a separate matter. It is an imitative sound, a clucking of the tongue against the teeth, and the verb is built on the interjection "tut," which copies that noise. The dance and the clicking share a spelling and a sound-shape, but the dance name came from the pharaoh, while the disapproving click came from the noise itself.

Synonyms: clicking, hissing