Standard Lemma guide

humph

intj · name · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /h(ʌ)mf/
  • [həɱf]
  • [hɱ̩f]
  • [ɱ̊ɱ̩f]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌmf
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AH1 M F Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

intj

Meaning 1

A sound, usually made with a closed mouth pouting, indicating annoyance, indignation, disapproval, doubt, or sighing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: onomatopoeic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A diminutive of the male given name Humphrey.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To utter "humph!" in doubt or disapproval.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

A natural utterance, first recorded in the mid-16th century.

Shortening.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: gmf — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Chinese Mandarin: 哼 (hng, hēng) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Chinese Mandarin: 噷 (hm, hēn, hèn) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Finnish: pyh — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Finnish: pöh — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • French: hum — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • German: hm — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Japanese: ふふん (fufun) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Japanese: ふん (fun) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Norwegian: hrmf — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Romanian: hm — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Romanian: hâm — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Russian: гм (gm) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Russian: гм (hm) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Russian: хм (xm) — used to express doubt or disapproval
  • Thai: ฮึ่ม (hʉ̂m) — used to express doubt or disapproval