Susurrus
A soft whispering, murmuring or rustling sound — wind in leaves, a crowd at low volume.
Full definition of Susurrus →:: COMPARE ::
SusurrusvsMurmur
The short answer
Both are reduplicative and imitative — the same trick, done twice in two registers. Murmur went fully native and plain; susurrus stayed Latinate and literary. One is speech, the other is ornament.
Side by side
| Aspect | Susurrus | Murmur |
|---|---|---|
| Register | Literary | Everyday |
| Formation | Reduplicated | Reduplicated |
| Imitative | Yes | Yes |
| First English use | 1809 | Much earlier |
What each one means
Murmur
The contrast above sets out how Murmur differs from Susurrus on the points that actually matter.