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mellifluous

mellifluous

4 8.5
A smooth, sweet sound that is pleasant to hear
  • adjective
  • /məˈlɪf.lu.əs/
  • Formal
: melifluo
  • The singer's mellifluous voice filled the concert hall, captivating the entire audience.
  • mellifluous voice

And if it makes my voice sound more mellifluous, maybe a little more raspy, then I'm going to not treat the disease.

Examples

  • He spoke in this very mellifluous, deep bass kind of voice.

  • The sound of the train had settled into a mellifluous regularity.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • And she heard that mellifluous voice.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • His voice is so mellifluous.

  • Then at ST, he said in a mellifluous voice, "I'm surprised to see your friend here."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • "Listen, Peter," he said in his mellifluous healing tones.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "From now on, you and I are one;" her mellifluous young voice echoes in my head.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I still hear her mellifluous chuckles.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, with a strong, mellifluous voice, Thompson was a natural when Hollywood needed a supporting authority figure.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The lawmakers were so awestruck by his presence and mellifluous speech that they scrambled to touch him and shake hands with him.

    Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

sweet
vsmellifluous
27 1.1

Pleasing to the ear, like a soft melody

is specifically silky and musical rather than simply pleasant or cute
melodic
vsmellifluous
17 3.9

It has a pleasant tune that is easy to sing

emphasizes smoothness and musical texture rather than melody alone
velvety
vsmellifluous
12 3.8

Smooth and very soft in touch, look, sound, or taste

is specifically melodic and musical rather than a general soft quality
musical
vsmellifluous
6 1.7

Having a pleasing sound like a song

highlights smooth honeylike flow rather than melody alone
dulcet
vsmellifluous
6 8.9

A sweet, pleasant sound that soothes

is more about flowing musical quality than soothing sweetness alone
melodious
vsmellifluous
6 4.0

Has a pleasant, musical sound

is specifically about smooth, flowing musical beauty rather than general tunefulness
lilting
vsmellifluous
6 6.0

A light, rhythmic sound or way of speaking that feels gentle

is about smooth musical sweetness rather than rhythmic lightness or bounce
sonorous
vsmellifluous
3 7.2

A deep, loud sound that fills a place

is instead about gentle smooth musical sweetness rather than depth or loudness
honeyed
vsmellifluous
3 6.4

Having a smooth, sweet sound that is pleasant to hear

is focused on continuous musical smoothness rather than merely sweetness
harmonious
vsmellifluous
2 4.2

Sounds that blend in a pleasant way

is more about single smooth musical voice than blended tonal balance
tuneful
vsmellifluous
2 3.2

A sound like a nice song that is pleasant to hear

focuses more on overall smooth musical tone than tune presence only
euphonious
vsmellifluous
1 8.3

A pleasant, smooth sound like music or speech that is nice to listen to

leans specifically toward smooth musical richness rather than general harmony
listenable
vsmellifluous
1 4.2

Easy and pleasant to listen to

is a narrower aesthetic term stressing smooth musical beauty rather than ease
warm-toned
vsmellifluous
1 4.9

Having a rich, mellow sound that feels pleasant and not harsh

focuses more on smooth musical sweetness rather than warm tonal color
singing
vsmellifluous
1 4.1

Having a smooth, flowing sound or line

shares smoothness but stresses musical sweetness more than general flow
euphonic
vsmellifluous
1 8.0

Having a smooth, pleasant sound

is narrower, meaning smooth musical sweetness rather than mere agreeableness
canorous
vsmellifluous
  • Literature
1 9.9

Being rich and pleasant in sound like a singing voice

is tuned to smooth, sweet musical flow more than sheer richness
mellisonant
vsmellifluous
  • Formal
1 9.9

A pleasant, sweet sound that is nice to hear

is about smooth musical flow more than simple sweetness of tone
euphonical
vsmellifluous
1 9.7

Has a pleasant, smooth sound that is easy to listen to

is more about flowing musical smoothness than formal euphonic rules
sonorant
vsmellifluous
8.4

A full, rich sound that is pleasant to hear

is smoother and more musical rather than focused on richness or depth
euphonous
vsmellifluous
8.9

Sounds pleasant and smooth to hear

leans more toward silky musical smoothness rather than broad agreeableness

Antonyms

8 6.2

A harsh, unpleasant sound or voice that is hard to listen to

2 8.4

Making a loud, harsh noise that is unpleasant to hear

Compounds

7.8

A smooth, sweet way of speaking that sounds pleasant to hear

How Smooth

mellifluous
  • Formal
4 8.5
smooth
238 1.0
rough
144 1.0
harsh
40 3.9

Surface Forms

mellifluous positive

Morphology

mellifluous = melli + flu + ous

The components are Latin combining forms not productive in modern English, so an average learner cannot derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Mellifluous comes from Latin parts mel ('honey') and fluere ('to flow'). So, a mellifluous sound is like honey flowing, smooth and sweet, which is why we use it for voices or music that are very pleasant to hear.