Mellifluous

adjective

Smoothly sweet and enjoyable, especially in sound

Usage

What do the musical stylings of Claude Debussy, Joni Mitchell, and Sam Cooke have in common? Consider the soft, almost fluid nature of each artist's songs, the way that they gently envelope us to create a wholly pleasurable listening experience. Sitting back and listening to "Clair de Lune" or "Wonderful World" is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the meaning of mellifluous.

Mellifluous is an adjective that means lyrical and pleasant. Although the word can refer to any object that is mellow and moves easily, it is usually used to describe voices, pieces of music, and other sounds that are soothing and enjoyable to listen to. This quality of being soothing is a crucial aspect of things that are mellifluous. Something mellifluous is pleasing because it is smooth and calm, gliding effortlessly to a listener or observer in such a way as to be relaxing and comforting. Honey is sometimes used as an apt metaphor for mellifluous, relating the way a sound seems to move through the air to the silky sweet flow of syrup.

Example: The hiker reposed in the shade of a tree, listening to the mellifluous sounds of rustling leaves and a babbling brook.

Example: The baby was soon lulled to sleep by the mellifluous rocking of her crib.

Example: I was captivated by the author's mellifluous prose.

Origin

To understand why mellifluous so often means "sweet," simply turn back the etymological clock! The word's closest ancestor is the Latin mellifluus, meaning "trickling or gliding like honey." Mellifluus is formed partially from the prefix mel, which literally translates to "honey" (if your name happens to be Mellissa, Melody, or Melvin, this might be extra sweet!). The suffix of mellifluus, -fluus, is derived from the verb fluere, which means "to flow or move easily." All this means that something mellifluous has dulcet, smooth characteristics, like a drop of fragrant nectar. The modern English version of mellifluous can be traced back to the 1400s.

Derivative Words

Mellifluence: This noun, used especially in reference to sound, describes the condition of being sweet and harmonious.

Example: Convinced of her own mellifluence, Melissa was never afraid to sing along when her favorite songs came on the radio.

Mellifluousness: This alternate noun form of mellifluous can be used interchangeably with mellifluence.

Example: Melissa longed to turn her mellifluousness into a professional singing career.

Mellifluously: This adverb describes something done in a way that is dulcet and calmly enjoyable. Specifically, it is often used to describe actions responsible for producing pleasant sounds, such as "sing" and "play the tuba."

Example: Melissa hummed mellifluously as she worked on the lyrics to an original song.

Mellifluent: This adjective is a synonym of mellifluous formed using a relative of the suffix -fluus. Both -fluus and -fluent are scions of the Latin verb fluere, which means "to move easily and without restriction." This also explains the origin of the modern English adjective fluent, a word that often describes speech, sound, or other transmissions as clear and effortless.

Example: It was only a matter of time before a talent agent discovered Melissa and her mellifluent voice.

In Literature

From Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote:

'Scarce had the rubicund Apollo spread o'er the face of the broad spacious earth the golden threads of his bright hair, scarce had the little birds of painted plumage attuned their notes to hail with dulcet and mellifluous harmony the coming of the rosy Dawn, that, deserting the soft couch of her jealous spouse, was appearing to mortals at the gates and balconies of the Manchegan horizon, when the renowned knight Don Quixote of La Mancha, quitting the lazy down, mounted his celebrated steed Rocinante and began to traverse the ancient and famous Campo de Montiel;'" which in fact he was actually traversing.

Mellifluous is used here to refer to the pleasantness of the morning birds and the sweetness of their song. This description is in turn used to highlight the peaceful qualities of Dawn, which Quixote chooses to personify as a transcendent, goddess-like entity.

In Pop Culture

From The Big Bang Theory Season 4 Episode 5:

The Desperation Emanation (YouTube)

Take the advice of the characters from The Big Bang Theory and make a point of using the word mellifluous!

Mnemonic

Mellifluous has sweet melody
Mellifluous is like mellow fluid
Mellifluous sound has milky fluency