Murmuring

Murmuring refers to a soft, indistinct sound produced by the human voice or by moving air. It is heard as low, continuous speech, a subdued whisper, or as background, ambient noise such as a brook, wind, or distant voices. The term is used for both voluntary speech spoken quietly and involuntary sounds that lack clear articulation.

In everyday speech, murmured voice is characterized by reduced loudness and sometimes partial coarticulation, making individual words harder to discern. In some languages and phonetic contexts, murmuring relates to voice quality rather than volume, such as breathy or creaky voice, or to consonant sounds that are less fully articulated.

Heart murmurs are sounds made by turbulent blood flow within the heart. They are usually detected with a stethoscope and categorized by timing in the cardiac cycle (systolic or diastolic) and by intensity. Many murmurs are benign, especially in children or young athletes, but others indicate valvular disease, septal defects, or other structural problems. Evaluation often includes an echocardiogram and clinical history for risk factors and symptoms.

Murmuration is a related term used to describe the coordinated, flocking behavior of large numbers of birds, especially starlings. A murmuration creates rapid, fluid shapes in the sky and is studied as an example of emergent collective dynamics. The term is distinct from a sound and reflects the overall motion rather than acoustics.

In literature and everyday language, murmuring can describe quiet, persistent talk, subtle complaints, or the soundscape of a scene. The word thus spans acoustics, physiology, behavior, and metaphor.