Lullaby: A Word Made of Two Soothing Sounds
A lullaby is a song for sending a child to sleep. The word is built from lull and a parting syllable, both of them calming noises.
A lullaby is a quiet song sung to settle a child. The word is made of the verb *lull*, to soothe, and *by* or *bye*, the sound used when hushing someone. Both halves are imitative: the word sounds like what it does. Lullabies are found in every culture studied, and their tunes are strikingly similar across unrelated languages.
- A song to send a child to sleep. *She sang a lullaby.*
- Something soothing. *The rain was a lullaby.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lullaby | An old lullaby. |
| Plural | lullabies | Traditional lullabies. |
| Verb | lull | Lulled to sleep. |
| Related | cradle song | A cradle song. |
| Related | berceuse | A Chopin berceuse. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He hummed a lullaby until she settled.The ordinary use.
- The engine lulled them all to sleep.The verb, meaning to calm.
- Do not be lulled into a false sense of security.A set phrase, and a warning.
Lullabies around the world
- Berceuse — French, also a musical form
- Ninna nanna — Italian, itself an imitative phrase
- Wiegenlied — German cradle song, as in Brahms
- Nane nane — Turkish and Persian traditions have similar sounds
- Slow triple time — a rhythm many lullabies share, close to a rocking motion
From Middle English *lullen*, to lull, plus *by*. The sound *lu-lu* or *la-la* appears in soothing words across many unrelated languages, which suggests imitation rather than borrowing.
Why do lullabies sound alike across cultures?
Researchers have found consistent features — slow tempo, simple repeated melody, gentle rhythm — which listeners can recognise even in unfamiliar languages.
What does *lulled into* mean?
Made calm enough to stop being careful. The phrase almost always precedes something going wrong.