Odd Word

Psithurism - the sound of the wind rustling the leaves.

COOOOOL!!!!

Those leaves will be back soon. I look forward to the psithurism!

So how do you say the word? Could you describe it for us language challenged folks here which includes myself.

I'll second NickfromWI: COOOOLL!!!!!

As near as I can make out, it's pronounced something like "SITH ur iz um" - this rendering is found on one of the few relevant web hits, and it's consistent with the Oxford English Dictionary (which is the ONLY dictionary I can locate that lists the word). At first I thought is was straight onomatopoeia (a word that sounds like what it describes, like "boom" or "splat"), but it seems to be from a Greek root meaning a whispering sound (which could itself be onomatopoeia...).

Even in my dusty old compact OED, psithurism is listed as "rare". We need this one back in the language!

Sorry all, I just found the word on www.brainbasher.com, they have an odd word for the day. I am glad someone dusted off the old word book or found what we need. Way to go Mark!!!!!