whistling

whist·ling
W4H4I1S1T1L1I1N1G2
/ˈwɪs(ə)lɪŋ/[ˈwɪslɪŋ]/ˈʍɪs(ə)lɪŋ/[ˈw̥ɪs(ə)lɪŋ]

noun

A shrill, breathy sound; a whistle.

Similar
whistle
OriginMiddle English whistlynge →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

whistling1

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of whistle

whistling2

nounwhistling (plural whistlings)

plural whistlings

  1. A shrill, breathy sound; a whistle.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

Similar
whistle
Broader
sound

nounthe act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle

Similar
whistle
Broader
signalsignalingsign
Also see
whistle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

whistling · verb

  1. Middle Englishwhistlynge
  2. Englishwhistling

Inherited from Middle English whistlynge, equivalent to whistle + -ing.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

whistling · noun

  1. Old Englishhwistlung
  2. Middle Englishwhistlinge
  3. Englishwhistling

From Middle English whistlinge, whystlynge, from Old English hwistlung, equivalent to whistle + -ing.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

whistling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistling

MLA

“whistling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistling. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whistling,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistling.

Source: whistling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.