Word
lullaby
Phoneticslul·la·by, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫəɫəˌbaɪ/
UK/lˈʌləbˌaɪ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a quiet, gentle song that you sing to a baby to help them fall asleep. It usually has a slow and steady rhythm.
n. a soothing song or piece of music intended to induce sleep, typically performed for children. Often characterized by a repetitive, triple-meter rhythm that mimics the motion of rocking.
Examples
“She sang a soft lullaby to the baby.”
“The mother hummed a traditional lullaby until her toddler finally drifted off to sleep.”
“While many cultures use the lullaby as a functional tool for sleep, composers like Brahms elevated the form into a sophisticated genre of classical piano music.”
Examples
simple
“She sang a soft lullaby to the baby.”
contextual
“The mother hummed a traditional lullaby until her toddler finally drifted off to sleep.”
complex
“While many cultures use the lullaby as a functional tool for sleep, composers like Brahms elevated the form into a sophisticated genre of classical piano music.”
Real-World Examples
“Sometimes the right lullaby sends my kids off to dreamland so fast it makes me feel like I have a parenting superpower.” “Babies love lullabies, and a new study suggests they don’t much care what culture the songs come from, what language they are sung in, or even who sings them.” “A lullaby is a song or piece of music that is played to soothe and send the audience to sleep.” “Infants relax in response to eight unfamiliar foreign lullabies, relative to matched non-lullaby songs from other foreign societies, as indexed by heart rate, pupillometry and electrodermal activity.” Word family
NOUN
In Music
Cover shown under fair use for identification and commentary.
Lullaby · 1989 · Gothic rock
- Artist:
- The Cure
- Album:
- Disintegration
The Cure released this gothic rock single in 1989 as part of their album Disintegration. It uses the headword figuratively to describe a dark, unsettling experience rather than a soothing song for a child. Despite its eerie mood, it became the band's highest-charting hit in the UK.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/lullaby