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What's the name of the sound a child makes after an angry, declarative and usually defiant statement.

Parent:

John, you can't take a cookie out of the cookie jar.

Child:

Yes, I can! HMPH!

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  • 4
    The grammatical term for such words that represent sounds is an 'onomatopoeia'.
    – user7910
    Apr 28, 2011 at 11:13

1 Answer 1

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humph |həmf|

exclamation

used to express slightly scornful doubt or dissatisfaction.

ORIGIN natural utterance: first recorded in English in the mid 16th cent.

(Via Apple OS X Dictionary)

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  • Another source: dictionary.reference.com/browse/humph
    – Koert
    Apr 24, 2011 at 20:57
  • I wish I knew the answer, however, I think that it is an interjection and not really an exclamation...
    – user102734
    Dec 20, 2014 at 19:50

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