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murmur

/ˈmɝ.mɚ/noun, verb

murmur is spelled M-U-R-M-U-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 31,974th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, murmur means “Any low, indistinct sound, like that of running water” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of murmur is murmurs.

How many letters and syllables are in murmur?

Letters6: M-U-R-M-U-R
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writingabout once in every 1 million words; the 31,974th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is murmur?

Murmur appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 31,974th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce murmur?

  • UK /ˈmɜːmə/
  • British /ˈməːmə/
  • US /ˈmɝ.mɚ/

Murmur has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-murmur.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of murmur

  • murmurs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • murmuring participle, present
  • murmured participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does murmur mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    Any low, indistinct sound, like that of running water.

  2. 2

    Soft indistinct speech.

    A murmur arose from the audience.

  3. 3

    The sound made by any condition which produces a noisy, or turbulent, flow of blood through the heart.

  4. 4

    A muttered complaint or protest; the expression of dissatisfaction in a low muttering voice; any expression of complaint or discontent.

verb

  1. 1

    archaicTo grumble; to complain in a low, muttering voice, or express discontent at or against someone or something.

  2. 2

    To speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to mumble, mutter.

    I couldn't hear the words; he just murmured a lot.

  3. 3

    To say (something) indistinctly, to mutter.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Murmur in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
GermanRauschen, Murmeln (any low, indistinct, continuing sound), Gemurmel, Raunen (low sounds or speech), Herzgeräusch (heart sound phenomenon), murren (to complain or express discontent)
Frenchmurmure, rumeur (low sounds or speech), souffle (heart sound phenomenon), murmurer (to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise…)
Portuguesemurmúrio (low sounds or speech), sopro (heart sound phenomenon), murmurar (to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise…)
Spanishsoplo (heart sound phenomenon), murmurar (to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does murmur come from?

From Middle English murmur, murmor, murmour, from Old French murmure (modern French murmure), from Latin murmur (“murmur, humming, muttering, roaring, growling, rushing etc.”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

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