murmur Latin · revision 31011

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=220–130 BC, Pacuvius|origins=ine-pro *mr̥-mr̥-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈmʊr.mʊr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmur.mur]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''murmur''' ''n'' (genitive murmuris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ It is masculine once in Varro's ''Menippean Satires''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|ine-pro|*mr̥-mr̥-]], a reduplicated, imitative formation; the OLD calls it onomatopoeic.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan notes that the verb [[m|la|murmurō|t=to murmur]] is recorded earlier, so the noun may be formed from it.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[sa|मुर्मुर|tr=múrmura|t=crackling fire]], [[grc|μορμύρω|tr=mormúrō|t=to roar and boil]] and [[lt|murmė́ti|t=to murmur]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler give Pacuvius as its first author, who has ''murmur maris'', the roar of the sea.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a low, continuous noise: of natural forces a rumble or roar, of animals a growl or grunt, as Ovid's men turned into pigs, and of bees a hum, as in Virgil's plain loud with their buzzing.^(OLD 2012) It is also a low or indistinct voice, the whispers of lovers in Ovid, the murmur of a crowd, and a mutter of anger: Varro's crowd gives a fierce murmur.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “murmuring”.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin uses it for a complaint or charge.^(Niermeyer 1976) English ''murmur'' (late 14th century), first a grumbling of discontent, comes from it through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of the roar of the sea.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of an angry murmur.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the hum of bees.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid of grunts and whispers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English [[m|en|murmur]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A low continuous noise; a [[m|en|rumble]], roar; a growl; a hum.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|murmur]], mutter, whisper; grumbling.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|complaint]], charge.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[murmurillum]]

+ * [[murmuriosus]]

+ * [[murmurō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[susurrus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}