Sighing

/ˈsaɪɪŋ/ verb, noun

Definition

breathing out audibly, usually to express tiredness, relief, disappointment, or resignation.

Etymology

From Old English 'sican,' likely imitative in origin similar to words in other Germanic languages. The word describes both the physical breath and the emotion conveyed by it.

Kelly Says

Sighing is one of the few sounds that carries universal emotional meaning across cultures—parents in Japan, Brazil, and Kenya all understand a sigh means the same thing, because it's a sound humans make instinctively when overwhelmed or relieved.

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