Bray

/breɪ/ verb, noun

Definition

the loud, harsh cry that a donkey makes; also used as a verb meaning to make this sound.

Etymology

From Old French 'braire' meaning 'to cry out,' ultimately from Latin 'bragere,' likely imitative in origin representing the actual harsh sound a donkey produces.

Kelly Says

The word is onomatopoeia—it literally tries to sound like what a donkey sounds like when you say it aloud, and children throughout history have learned animal sounds this way.

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