Where does “hissing” come from?
Hissing comes from Middle English hissen, a verb of imitative origin representing the sound of a snake or escaping air.
hissing (English): present participle of hiss; The sound of a hiss
Definitions
- present participle of hiss; The sound of a hiss
Ancestry of “hissing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | hiss | A sibilant sound, such as that made by a snake or... |
| 2 | Middle English | hissen | — |
Words derived from “hissing”