Toot Imitates the Sound It Names
A toot is a short blast on a horn. The word is straightforwardly imitative.
A toot is a short blast on a horn, whistle or trumpet. The word is imitative, probably from Middle Low German *tuten*, and it belongs to a set of English horn sounds distinguished by length and pitch: a *toot* is short and light, a *blast* is loud and forceful, a *hoot* is lower and longer, and a *parp* is comically flat. *To toot your own horn* is American for boasting; the British equivalent is *blow your own trumpet*.
- A horn blast. *A toot of the horn.*
- To sound a horn. *Tooting the whistle.*
- To boast. *Tooting his own horn.*
- Hoot — a lower sound. *A hoot.*
- Low German — *tuten*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | toot | A toot. |
| Verb | toot | Tooting. |
| Past | tooted | Tooted. |
| Related | hoot | A hoot. |
| Low German | tuten | To blow a horn. |
- He gave the horn a toot.Sound.
- The train tooted twice.Verb.
- Tooting his own horn.Idiom.
Horn sounds in English
- Toot — short and light
- Blast — loud and forceful
- Hoot — lower and longer, also an owl
- Parp — comically flat, British
- Blare — sustained and harsh
Imitative, probably from Middle Low German *tuten*, to blow a horn.
What does tooting your own horn mean?
Boasting about your own achievements. The British version is blowing your own trumpet.
What is the difference between a toot and a blast?
A toot is short and light; a blast is loud and forceful.