bleep (n.)

"electronic noise," 1953 (originally in reference to a Geiger counter), imitative; later associated with Sputnik. As "bleeping sound edited over a spoken word deemed unfit for broadcast" from 1968.

1957, "make an electronic noise" (originally in reference to Sputnik), from bleep (n.); specific sense of "edit a sound over a word deemed unfit for broadcast" is from 1964. Related: Bleeped; bleeping. Bleeper "pager consisting of a mini radio receiver that announces reception of signals by emitting a bleeping noise" is from 1964.