shriek
n. countablen. a very loud, high sound that someone makes when they are in pain or surprise. It is often a short, sharp cry from a person or an animal.
n. a sudden, sharp, and loud cry, typically expressing intense pain, fear, or surprise. Often associated with high-pitched vocalisations from humans or animals.
The cat gave a loud shriek when the door slammed.
The sudden shriek of the brakes made everyone in the car jump in their seats.
The silence of the forest was shattered by the piercing shriek of a hawk circling high above the treetops.
From obsolete shrick (1567), shreke, variants of earlier screak, skricke (before 1500), from Middle English scrycke, from a North Germanic/Scandinavian language (compare Swedish skrika, Danish skrige, Icelandic skríkja), from Proto-Germanic skrīkijaną, skrik- (compare English screech). More at screech.