mellifluous
/meˈlɪfluəs/ (bre, ipa) · /meˈlɪfluəs/ (ame, ipa) · /me-ˈli-flə-wəs mə-/ (ame, mw)
mellifluous — adjective
- mellifluouspositive
- more mellifluouscomparative
- most mellifluoussuperlative
1. describes a voice, piece of music, or way of speaking that flows in a smooth, sw
describes a voice, piece of music, or way of speaking that flows in a smooth, sweet way and is very enjoyable to listen to — like hearing a singer whose notes seem to glide without any rough edges.
Mei-Lin's mellifluous voice made the old folk song sound even more beautiful.
mellifluous + voice for describing a singing voice
The old violin produced a mellifluous tone that filled the concert hall with warmth.
mellifluous + tone for describing a musical instrument
Kwame listened to the speaker's mellifluous words and felt completely at ease.
There was a mellifluous quality to the way the grandfather read stories to the children.
The cello section played a mellifluous passage that brought several listeners to tears.
- dulcet
more poetic and less common than mellifluous; almost always describes a voice or tone
- euphonious
focuses on the pleasant combination of sounds rather than smooth flow
- melodious
more general term for something that sounds like a pleasant melody; less formal than mellifluous
- honeyed
suggests flattery or insincere sweetness in speech; can carry a negative connotation that mellifluous does not
- harsh
describes a sound that is rough and unpleasant, the opposite of smooth
- grating
describes a sound that annoys or irritates, like a scraping noise
- cacophonous
describes a mixture of loud, unpleasant sounds
文法句型
mellifluous + noun (voice/tone/music/words)
be + mellifluous
用法筆記
Almost always describes sound or the way sound is produced — voice, music, melody, speech. Frequently used in literary or formal writing; uncommon in everyday conversation. A speaker's accent or delivery can be mellifluous, but the word itself does not mean 'sweet in taste,' despite the honey-related etymology.