Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “semiwhisper” come from?

semiwhisper (English) comes from English whisper, from Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian, from Proto-Germanic hwisprōną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱweys- — to hiss, whistle, whisper.

semiwhisper (English): A low voice close to a whisper

Definitions

  1. A low voice close to a whisper

Ancestry of “semiwhisper”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhisperThe act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially,...
2Middle Englishwhisperen—
3Old Englishhwisprianto whisper
4Proto-Germanichwisprōnąto whistle, hiss, whisper
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweys-to hiss, whistle, whisper
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweys- →