whistle

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈwɪs(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #2740

Meanings

1

verb
To make a high musical sound by forcing air through your lips or teeth.

He whistled a cheerful tune as he walked.
2

noun
A small device you blow into to make a loud, high sound.

The referee blew his whistle to stop the game.
3

noun
A high, shrill sound made by whistling or by air or steam.

We heard the whistle of the wind through the trees.
4

verb
To move quickly with a high rushing sound.

The bullets whistled past his head.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms whistledwhistleswhistling

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

tin whistle
a small inexpensive flute played by blowing through a mouthpiece

Noun + noun
shrill whistle
a piercing, high-pitched whistling sound

Adjective + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

bells and whistles
extra, attractive but non-essential features added to a product

Simplified etymology

Whistle is an Old English word whose earliest meaning was “a small pipe or flute.” It is probably imitative of the sound or action of whistling and shares its root with whisper.

Etymology

From Middle English whistlen, from Old English hwistlan, hwistlian (“to whistle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwistlōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwistlōną (“to make a hissing sound”). Cognate with Swedish vissla (“to whistle”), Icelandic hvísla (“to whisper”), Russian свистеть (svistetʹ, “to whistle”).

whistlen Middle English hwistlan Old English *hwistlōn Proto-West Germanic *hwistlōną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# whistle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɪs(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 2740

## Meanings
1. To make a high musical sound by forcing air through your lips or teeth.
2. A small device you blow into to make a loud, high sound.
3. A high, shrill sound made by whistling or by air or steam.
4. To move quickly with a high rushing sound.

## Examples
- He whistled a cheerful tune as he walked.
- The referee blew his whistle to stop the game.
- We heard the whistle of the wind through the trees.
- The bullets whistled past his head.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: whistlen
- Root: hwistlan
- Root: *hwistlōn
- Root: *hwistlōną

## Etymology
From Middle English whistlen, from Old English hwistlan, hwistlian (“to whistle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwistlōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwistlōną (“to make a hissing sound”). Cognate with Swedish vissla (“to whistle”), Icelandic hvísla (“to whisper”), Russian свистеть (svistetʹ, “to whistle”).

## AI Etymology
Whistle is from Middle English whistlen, from Old English hwistlan, hwistlian (“to whistle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwistlōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwistlōną (“to make a hissing sound”). Cognate with Swedish vissla (“to whistle”), Icelandic hvísla (“to whisper”), Russian свистеть (svistetʹ, “to whistle”). Important historical forms include Middle English whistlen, Old English hwistlan, Proto-West Germanic *hwistlōn, and Proto-Germanic *hwistlōną. In present-day use, it can mean to make a high musical sound by forcing air through your lips or teeth, or a small device you blow into to make a loud, high sound.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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