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Glite Dictionary
mellifluously

mellifluously

8.3
In a smooth, sweet voice that sounds pleasant
  • adverb
  • /məˈlɪf.lu.əs.li/
  • Formal
translation icon : melifluamente
  • The soft sounds of the harp played mellifluously, creating a serene atmosphere in the room.

Examples

  • I write for a living as well, but haven't been able to put it quite as mellifluously as you have.

    Blog text (31)

  • Irina said, "Stas writes the newscasts, I only read them." "Mellifluously," Stas said.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The majestic words resonated mellifluously in the Oval Office, and I paused to let them sink deeply into the unseen audience's ears.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The singer's voice flowed mellifluously through the concert hall, captivating the audience.

  • She spoke mellifluously, her words weaving together like a beautiful melody.

Synonyms

sweetly
vsmellifluously
37 1.0

In a kind, gentle, pleasant way

is about pleasing sound rather than personal affection or gentleness
melodiously
vsmellifluously
1 4.9

In a pleasant, musical way that sounds beautiful

focuses more on smooth, sweet tone than on musical tune
dulcetly
vsmellifluously
  • Literature
8.4

In a sweet, pleasant way that sounds soft and gentle

adds a smooth, flowing quality beyond mere sweetness
tunefully
vsmellifluously
4.1

In a pleasant musical way that sounds clear and like singing

emphasizes smooth, sweet sound rather than overt musical tune
liltingly
vsmellifluously
6.8

In a pleasant rising and falling way like a song

prefers smooth, continuous sweetness rather than rhythmic rise and fall

Antonyms

harshly
49 3.5

In a severe or unkind way that feels unpleasant

How Smooth

mellifluously
  • Formal
8.3
smoothly
173 2.3
roughly
36 1.4
harshly
49 3.5

Surface Forms

mellifluously positive

Morphology

mellifluously = mellifluous (opaque) = mellifluous + ly

The adverbial suffix '-ly' is productive, but the adjective 'mellifluous' is a learned Latin-derived word whose internal parts are not transparent to average learners, so knowing parts will not make the meaning obvious.

Etymology

Mellifluously comes from Latin parts mel 'honey' and fluere 'to flow'. So to speak mellifluously is like 'honey' flowing from your words, meaning a smooth, sweet, pleasant sound.