From Middle English growlen, related to Middle Dutch grollen ("to make a noise, rumble, murmur, grunt, croak, be angry"; > Dutch grollen (“to grumble”)), German grollen (“to rumble, be angry, bear ill will”), Old English grillan, griellan (“to provoke, offend; gnash the teeth”). More at grill.
growl (plural growls)
- The deep, threatening sound made in the throat by an animal; an aggressive grumbling.
- The sound made by a hungry stomach.
- (intransitive) To utter a deep guttural sound, as an angry animal; to give forth an angry, grumbling sound.
- The dog growled at me as I walked past.
- (transitive) To express (something) by growling.
- The old man growled his displeasure at the postman.
- (software) To send a user a message via the Growl software library.