braying
Meaning
making a loud, harsh, unpleasant cry like that of a donkey
the act or sound of braying
Structure
Usage
the braying donkey could be heard from the far side of the farm.
he let out a braying laugh that startled everyone at the table.
the constant braying of the animals made it difficult to sleep.
Etymology
the verb 'bray' entered middle english from old french 'braire', which meant to cry or roar. its deeper origins are obscure but may lie in celtic or vulgar latin, suggesting an onomatopoeic root imitating a harsh sound. the '-ing' suffix is a native english grammatical element from old english, used to create adjectives from verbs (present participles) or to form nouns denoting an action or its result. thus, 'braying' literally denotes the action or characteristic of making a loud, harsh cry, a sound most famously associated with donkeys but extended to similar discordant noises.
Analysis
bray (from old french 'braire', meaning to cry, roar, of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly celtic or vulgar latin) + ing (from old english '-ende', '-unge', forming present participles and verbal nouns)