# whisper

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈ(h)wɪspə/ · frequency rank #10,637

## Definitions
1. The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
2. A rumor.
3. A faint trace or hint (of something).
4. A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.
5. A private message to an individual in a chat room.
6. A projection of intention and influence caused by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means.

## Etymology
From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwisprōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwisprōną (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweys-, *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”).
Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra (“to whisper”), Norwegian Bokmål hviske, kviskre (“to whisper”), Norwegian Nynorsk kviskre, kviskra (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.

## Easily confused with
- **wiser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-wiser)
- **wiper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-wiper)
- **whopper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-whopper)
- **whistler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-whistler)
- **whispered** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-whispered)
- **whisperer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisper-vs-whisperer)
- **whiskey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whiskey-vs-whisper)
- **whipped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whipped-vs-whisper)
- **whimper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whimper-vs-whisper)
- **whisker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whisker-vs-whisper)

## Common misspellings (11)
`hwisper`, `whhisper`, `whipser`, `whisepr`, `whisperr`, `whispper`, `whispre`, `whissper`, `whsiper`, `wihsper`, `wwhisper`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/whisper