What does sibilate mean?
Sibilate is a formal verb meaning to make a sibilant sound or to utter words with such a sound. A sibilant is a high, whispering, or hissing sound, as produced by the letter s, and the verb can describe both the sound itself and the act of speaking with that quality. In literary descriptions, sibilate often evokes dry wind moving through grass, leaves, or reeds, or a voice that seems to hiss softly. It is related to sibilant, sibilance, and sibilation, all of which point to the same Latin idea of hissing. Although uncommon in everyday conversation, sibilate is useful because it gives a precise name to a distinctive acoustic effect rather than simply saying that something hisses or whispers. Its rarity gives it a formal, slightly emphatic flavor, while its Latin ancestry connects it to a long tradition of describing whispering, wind, and sustained sibilant sounds.
verbTo make a sibilant sound; to utter words with a high, hissing, or whispering quality.
- To make a sibilant or hissing sound.
- To utter words with a sibilant, hissing, or whispering quality.
"The dry wind sibilated through the tall grass."
"The dry wind sibilated through the tall grass."
"She sibilated her reply through the narrow gap in the door."
From Latin for “to hiss,” sibilate gives a name to the dry whisper of wind through grass.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sibilate come from?
The verb comes from Latin sibilāre, “to hiss,” a word associated with the sharp, whispering sound represented by sib-. English borrowed the form in early modern English for the act of hissing or making a sibilant sound. Its relatives include sibilant and sibilation, which preserve the same Latin root and the idea of a hissing or whispering quality.
Related word forms
How sibilate is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon verb, used chiefly in literary description. It can be intransitive, describing the making of a sibilant sound, or transitive, describing the utterance of words with that quality.
Easily confused with sibilate
Sibilate is a verb describing the act of making or uttering a hissing or whispering sound, whereas sibilant is an adjective or noun referring to such a sound or to a sound made with the tongue and teeth.