The Britannica Dictionary
mobile search
Home
Ask the Editor
Word of the Day
Quizzes
Core Vocabulary
Browse the Dictionary
×
Britannica Homepage
Ask the Editor
Word of the Day
Quizzes
Core Vocabulary
Browse the Dictionary
The Britannica Dictionary
ahem
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
ahem
(interjection)
ahem
/ə
ˈ
hɛm/
interjection
ahem
/ə
ˈ
hɛm/
interjection
Britannica Dictionary definition of AHEM
—
used in writing to represent a sound that is like a quiet cough that people make especially to attract attention or to express disapproval or embarrassment
ASK THE EDITOR
What does "entitled to" mean?
See the answer »
QUIZZES
Vocabulary Quiz
Test your word power
Take the Quiz »
Name That Thing
Take our visual quiz
Test Your Knowledge »
WORD OF THE DAY
ventriloquist
:
a performer who is able to speak in a way that makes it appear that the words are being said by a large doll (called a dummy)
Learn More »