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Added 9 October 2026

hum

/ˈhʌm/ symbol

symbol Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hum at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

ISO 639-3 language code for Hungana.

noun

A hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
An often indistinct sound resembling human humming.
They could hear a hum coming from the kitchen and found the dishwasher on.
Busy activity, like the buzz of a beehive.

verb

To make a sound from the vocal cords without pronouncing any real words, with one's lips closed.
We are humming happily along with the music.
To express by humming.
to hum a tune
To drone like certain insects naturally do in motion, or sounding similarly.

interjection

Synonym of hmm: a noise indicating thought, consideration, &c.
Synonym of um: a noise indicating doubt, uncertainty, &c.

Origin

From Middle English hummen (“to hum, buzz, drone, make a murmuring sound to cover embarrassment”); akin to Dutch hommelen (“to bumble, buzz”), dialectal Dutch hommen (“to buzz, hum”), Middle High German hummen (“to hum”), probably ultimately of imitative origin.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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