Psst
/pst/noun
An interjection used to attract someone’s attention quietly, often by a soft hissing sound.
Did you know?Unlike inherited words with traceable roots, “psst” is an imitative interjection: its meaning comes mainly from the sound itself, echoing the hush of a private signal.
Etymological Timeline
Prehistoric communicative behavior
Human vocal signaling
[hissing attention call]
“A soft, nonverbal sound used to attract attention without speaking aloud; no specific ancestral word is documented.”
19th Century
English
pst
“An interjection imitating a brief hiss or quiet call for attention.”
Early 20th Century
English
psst
“A spelling representing an extended or more emphatic version of “pst.””
1910s–1920s
English
psst
“A written attention-getting interjection used in dialogue and popular print.”
Modern English
English
psst
“A quiet call used to summon someone discreetly or signal a secret.”