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Synonyms

sibilate

American  
[sib-uh-leyt] / ˈsɪb əˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

sibilated, sibilating

  1. to hiss.

verb (used with object)

sibilated, sibilating

  1. to utter or pronounce with a hissing sound.

sibilate British  
/ ˈsɪbɪˌleɪt /

verb

  1. to pronounce or utter (words or speech) with a hissing sound

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • sibilation noun
  • sibilator noun

Etymology

Origin of sibilate

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin sībilātus (past participle of sībilāre “to hiss”); sibilant, -ate 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Chuck Coggins, Sam Shelton, Louis Delucca: obviously, there was some connection between a sibilate s and a complete lack of interest in the State versus Carolina issue.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.