lullaby

1 of 2

noun

lul·​la·​by ˈlə-lə-ˌbī How to pronounce lullaby (audio)
plural lullabies
: a soothing refrain
specifically : a song to quiet children or lull them to sleep

lullaby

2 of 2

verb

lullabied; lullabying

transitive verb

: to quiet with or as if with a lullaby

Examples of lullaby in a Sentence

Verb reclining peacefully on the deck, lullabied by the gentle motion of the ship
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Each page is a soft lullaby, wrapped in an adorable collection of illustrations that echo the comforting hues of twilight and the sparkling magic of a starlit night. Roxsy Lin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Channing Tatum can beatbox lullabies Less than a year after he was named 2012's Sexiest Man Alive, Tatum became a dad to daughter Everly, and according to his now-ex Jenna Dewan, The Lost City star used some undiscovered talents to pacify his crying infant. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023 Kim, who is deaf, invited friends (and fellow parents) to design lullabies for her newborn daughter, Roux. Kriston Capps, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023 Death Rattle Dazzle’s future was also hinging upon its financing, and after watching Loretta’s lullaby, Cliff passionately defends the show to his mom and co-producer Donna, who was skeptical about the financial viability of a musical. Radhika Menon, ELLE, 15 Aug. 2023 Television Inside Meryl Streep’s ‘lightning-in-a-bottle’ lullaby on ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Aug. 15, 2023 The two have remained mostly private about their relationship, but Gummer has been on hand for several of Streep’s high-profile red-carpet events. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2023 No lullabies could soothe the horrors revealed in the first full-length trailer for American Horror Story: Delicate. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2023 It was written by Riperton and Richard together — and the melody began as a lullaby for Maya. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 8 Oct. 2023 If your bedtime routine is a lullaby and a story, do the same before naptime. Jana Banin, Parents, 24 Aug. 2023
Verb
The original is lullaby-like in its simple softness and was fittingly featured in Richard Linklater's epic 2014 film Boyhood. Natalie Maher, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lullaby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

obsolete English lulla, interjection used to lull a child (from Middle English) + bye, interjection used to lull a child, from Middle English by

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lullaby was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near lullaby

Cite this Entry

“Lullaby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lullaby. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

lullaby

noun
lul·​la·​by
ˈləl-ə-ˌbī
plural lullabies
: a song to quiet children or lull them to sleep

More from Merriam-Webster on lullaby

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