lilt

play

noun \ ˈlilt \

Definition of lilt

1 :a spirited and usually cheerful song or tune

2 :a rhythmical swing, flow, or cadence

3 :a springy buoyant movement

See lilt defined for English-language learners

Examples of lilt in a Sentence

There was a charming lilt to her voice.
a tune with a lilt

Recent Examples of lilt from the Web

A Southern lilt could be detected in her delivery but her vibrancy and vivacity were rooted in Broadway.

— charles mcnulty, latimes.com, "Barbara Cook, a Broadway singer who revealed the great American songbook in a new light," 8 Aug. 2017
Fuentes speaks with a grinning, slow, southern lilt.

— victor j. blue, NBC News, "North Carolina Immigrant ID Card Praised By Police Is in Jeopardy," 7 June 2017
The idiomatic lilt Valcuha brought to the waltzing rhythms lived in the flexible phrasing of the orchestra.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "Guest conductor Juraj Valcuha holds CSO in firm command," 2 June 2017
Italienne gave them an Eastern European lilt by serving them with beets, horseradish and applesauce.

— pete wells, New York Times, "An Identity Crisis at Italienne," 22 May 2017
Black, a jock with a stoner’s lilt, was a former football captain at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

— jamie lauren keiles, New York Times, "The Superfood Gold Rush," 2 May 2017
Her smoky voice lilts strong above a subtle, building beat.

— kat bein, Billboard, "Kygo & Ellie Goulding Make Beautiful Music For the 'First Time': Listen," 28 Apr. 2017
A steady lilt, alternately peaceful and hallucinatory, presides over the work, which is devoid of punctuation except for frequent question marks.

— sara lautman, The New Yorker, "Briefly Noted," 7 Apr. 2017
But the graduate of universities in England and Scotland speaks English with a slight Scottish lilt.

— cheryl katz, Smithsonian, "Disappearing Puffins Bring an Icelandic Hunting Tradition Under Scrutiny," 17 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lilt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of lilt

circa 1680

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, refrain, riff, segue

lilt

verb

Definition of lilt

transitive verb

:to sing or play in a lively cheerful manner

intransitive verb

1 :to sing or speak rhythmically and with fluctuating pitch

2 :to move in a lively springy manner

See lilt defined for kids

Recent Examples of lilt from the Web

The messages were often encoded to fool the censors; Mr. Bosco’s lilting tunes and rhythms made every song seem to float.

— james gavin, New York Times, "Passion and Politics in João Bosco’s Brazilian Rhythms," 30 Apr. 2017

Origin and Etymology of lilt

Middle English lulten to sound an alarm

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1722

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LILT Defined for English Language Learners

lilt

play

noun

Definition of lilt for English Language Learners

: the attractive quality of speech or music that rises and falls in a pleasing pattern

LILT Defined for Kids

lilt

play

verb \ ˈlilt \

Definition of lilt for Students

lilted; lilting

:to sing or play in a lively cheerful manner

Learn More about lilt

See words that rhyme with lilt Spanish Central: Translation of lilt Nglish: Translation of lilt for Spanish speakers

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Recent Examples of lilt from the Web

First Known Use of lilt

Other Music Terms

lilt

Definition of lilt

Recent Examples of lilt from the Web

Origin and Etymology of lilt

LILT Defined for English Language Learners

lilt

Definition of lilt for English Language Learners

LILT Defined for Kids

lilt

Definition of lilt for Students

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