siren

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In fact, a bullhorn or megaphone that includes a siren is a great addition to any search and rescue operation as it enables the user to get a loud sound out and notify other rescuers when help is needed or the object of the search is found.

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Definitions (24)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun A device in which compressed air or steam is driven against a rotating perforated disk to create a loud, often wailing sound as a signal or warning.
  2. noun An electronic device producing a similar sound as a signal or warning: a police car siren.
  3. noun Any of several salamanders of the family Sirenidae, such as the mud eel, having an eellike body, permanent external gills, small forelegs, and no hind limbs.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Siren has been looked up 329 times, favorited once, listed 43 times, and commented on 0 times.

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

klaxon ·  whistle ·  trumpet ·  bugle ·  wail ·  banshee ·  hoot ·  screech ·  clang ·  alarm ·  whine ·  roar
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. French sirène, from Old French sereine, Siren, from Late Latin Sīrēna, from Latin Sīrēn, from Greek Seirēn.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English also syren, sirene; from Middle English sirene, syrene, also serein, sereyn, from Old French sereine, French sirène =Provencal serena =Spanish sirena =Portuguese serea, sereia =Italian sirena, serena =D, sireen =G. Dan, sirene =Swedish siren, from Latin siren, Middle Latin also sirena and serena (by confusion with L, serena, feminine of serenus, serene), from Greek σειρήν, a siren; formerly supposed to mean ‘entangler,’ from σειρά, a cord; but prob. akin to σῦριγξ, a pipe (see syringe), Sanskritsvar, sound, praise (later svara, a sound, voice, etc.), and English swear, swarm.
 

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/ˈsaɪrɛn/
by American Heritage
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