Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “whisperen” come from?

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

Ancestry of “whisperen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhwisprianto whisper
2Proto-Germanichwisprōnąto whistle, hiss, whisper
3Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweys-to hiss, whistle, whisper

Words derived from “whisperen”

  • whisper
  • whispering
  • whispery
  • whisperer
  • whisperingly
  • whispereth
  • whisperest
  • whisperous
  • semiwhisper
  • bewhisper
  • whisperously
  • whispersome
  • stage whisper
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweys- →