Hissing
/ˈhɪsɪŋ/noun
The act or sound of making a sharp sibilant noise, especially like a snake or escaping steam.
Did you know?The word comes from an old sound-imitating root, and in many cultures that sharp sibilant noise became a symbolic signal for taboo, threat, or something spiritually wrong.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sēi-
“to hiss, whistle, or make a sharp sibilant sound”
Old English
English
hȳssan
“to hiss or make a sibilant sound”
Middle English
English
hissen
“to hiss, especially like a snake or steam”
Modern English
English
hissing
“making or producing a sharp sibilant sound”