purr

1 of 2

noun

ˈpər 

: a low vibratory murmur typical of an apparently contented or pleased cat

purr

2 of 2

verb

purred; purring; purrs

intransitive verb

1

: to make a purr or a sound like a purr

cars purring along the highway

2

a

: to speak in a manner that resembles a purr

b

: to speak in a malicious catty manner

purringly

ˈpər-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• burr
• buzz
• chirr
• churr
• drone
• hum
• thrum
• whir
• whirr
• whiz
• whizz
• zoom

Examples of purr in a Sentence

Noun

the soft purr of a car engine

listened to the reassuring purr of the car engine

Verb

The cat was purring contentedly in my lap.

The cars were purring along the highway.

“You look tense. Let me buy you a drink,” he purred.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Giving him a little hug and hearing him purr definitely lifts my spirit. —David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025

My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out the anticipatory purr of two ambulance engines idling nearby. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Verb

These loyal companions love their humans unconditionally, greeting them at the door with a wagging tail or curling up at the foot of the bed, purring gently. —Funnyfuzzy Contributor, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

And while Disney reported some less upbeat news from its Parks division, its blockbuster machine is once again purring along, with Inside Out 2 and the new Deadpool movie dominating the box office. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

imitative

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for purr

• birr
• blur
• bur
• cur
• er
• fir
• fur
• furr
• gurr
• her
• murr
• myrrh

Kids Definition

purr

noun

ˈpər

: a low murmuring sound of a contented cat

purr verb