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Sibilant vs Whirr - What's the difference?

sibilant | whirr |

As a verb whirr is

to move or vibrate (something) with a buzzing sound.

As a noun whirr is

a sibilant buzz or vibration; the sound of something in rapid motion.

sibilant

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Characterized by a hissing sound such as the "s" or "sh" in sash'' or ''surge .
  • * 1960 : Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird
  • She had a curious habit of prefacing everything she said with a soft sibilant sound.
    "S-s-s Grace," she said, "it's just like I was telling Brother Hutson the other day. 'S-s-s Brother Hutson,' I said, 'looks like we're fighting a losing battle, a losing battle.' I said."

    Derived terms

    * sibilantly

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (phonetics) A hissing sound such as the 's' or 'sh' in 'sash' or 'surge'.
  • * 1955 : H. A. Gleason, An Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics , page 194, section 14.7
  • Groove fricatives all have more or less of an [s]-like quality, and are for this reason sometimes called sibilants .

    Derived terms

    * shibilant

    Synonyms

    * (phonetics) groove fricative

    whirr

    English

    Alternative forms

    * whir

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move or vibrate (something) with a buzzing sound.
  • To make a sibilant buzzing or droning sound.
  • To cause (something) to make such a sound.
  • Synonyms

    * (make a sibilant buzzing or droning sound ): buzz, drone, hum, purr, whine, whistle, whizz * (cause (something) to make such a sound ):

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sibilant buzz or vibration; the sound of something in rapid motion.
  • A bustle of noise and excitement.
  • Synonyms

    * (sibilant buzz or vibration ): buzz, drone, hum, purr, whine, whistle, whizz * (bustle of noise and excitement ): bustle, hustle