yodel

1 of 2

verb

yo·​del ˈyō-dᵊl How to pronounce yodel (audio)
yodeled or yodelled; yodeling or yodelling ˈyōd-liŋ How to pronounce yodel (audio)
ˈyō-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to sing by suddenly changing from a natural voice to a falsetto and back
also : to shout or call in a similar manner

transitive verb

: to sing (a tune) by yodeling
yodeler
ˈyōd-lər How to pronounce yodel (audio)
ˈyō-dᵊl-ər
noun

yodel

2 of 2

noun

: a song or refrain sung by yodeling
also : a yodeled shout or cry

Examples of yodel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Immerse yourself in traditional Oktoberfest revelry with authentic German music, brimming steins and tasty German delights, plus dance contests, stein-holding challenges, yodeling competitions and other festivities. Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024 Musgraves grew up in tiny Golden, Texas, and started singing (and yodeling) as a precocious kid in an oversize cowgirl hat. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
My voice just does that—a little tiny ghost of a yodel at the end of some lines. Chris Willman, Variety, 18 Sep. 2024 Reba's mother passed on the gift of yodel to the Queen of Country, who doesn't have to be asked twice to show off her skills. Maggie Fremont, EW.com, 27 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for yodel 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yodel.' 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

Verb

German jodeln

First Known Use

Verb

1827, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yodel was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near yodel

Cite this Entry

“Yodel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yodel. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

yodel

verb
yo·​del
ˈyōd-ᵊl
yodeled or yodelled; yodeling or yodelling
ˈyōd-liŋ,
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to sing while frequently going back and forth between the range of one's natural voice and a higher range
also : to shout or call in this manner
yodel noun
yodeler
ˈyōd-lər
-ᵊl-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on yodel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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