Sussuration is a soft whispering, murmuring, or rustling sound. When wind moves through tall grass or tree leaves, that gentle shh-shh-shh is a sussuration. The quiet murmur of people whispering in a library creates a sussuration that fills the room without becoming loud or harsh.

The word captures sounds that are continuous and soothing rather than sharp or startling. Ocean waves make a sussuration as they slide up the beach and retreat. A classroom full of students working quietly creates a sussuration of pencils on paper, pages turning, and occasional whispers.

Writers often use sussuration to describe peaceful, natural sounds. In a forest, you might hear the sussuration of leaves overhead mixed with the sussuration of a nearby stream. The word itself sounds like what it means: say it aloud and notice how the s sounds mimic that soft, continuous whisper.

While sussuration usually describes gentle sounds, it can refer to either pleasant ones (like rustling silk) or slightly unsettling ones (like a whisper you can’t quite place).