growl

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
growl/ɡraʊl/

▶verb

• 1 (of an animal, especially a dog) make a low guttural sound of hostility in the throat.

• 2 say something in a low harsh voice.

• 3 make a low or harsh rumbling sound.

▶noun a growling sound.

– derivatives
growling noun & adjective,
growlingly adverb,
growly adjective.

– origin C17: prob. imitative.