Thrum
/θrʌm/noun
A low, continuous humming or buzzing sound; also, a loose end or fringe of thread.
Did you know?The word is historically tied to the end of a woven thread or fringe, and that textile sense likely fed the later sound-meaning of a steady, vibrating hum.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*treh₁-
“to rub, turn, or spin”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*þrūmą
“thread, tuft, or fringe”
Old English
English
þrum
“a loose end, tuft, or fringe of thread”
Middle English
English
thrum
“the loose end of a warp thread; a tuft or fringe”
Early Modern English
English
thrum
“a continuous low sound, especially a humming or vibrating one”
Modern English
English
thrum
“to make or emit a low, continuous humming sound; also, a fringe or loose thread”