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

  1. present participle of hiss; The sound of a hiss

Ancestry of “hissing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhissA sibilant sound, such as that made by a snake or...
2Middle Englishhissen—

Words derived from “hissing”

Every word from Middle English hissen →Every word from English hiss →
hissing — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer