mellifluous

English

WOTD – 28 July 2006

Etymology

From Latin mellifluus (“flowing like honey”), from mel (“honey”) + fluō (“flow”). Compare superfluous and fluid, from same root, and with dulcet (“sweet speech”), alternative Latinate term with a similar meaning.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /məˈlɪflu.əs/, /mɛˈlɪflu.əs/

Adjective

mellifluous (comparative more mellifluous, superlative most mellifluous)

1. Flowing like honey.
   • 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:

     Though in heaven the trees / Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines / Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn / We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground / Cover'd with pearly grain […]

2. (figurative) Sweet, smooth and musical; pleasant to hear (generally used of a person's voice, tone or writing style).

   Synonyms: birdsweet, dulcet, euphonious, mellifluent

   • 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:

     […] Socrates […] Wisest of men; from whose mouth issued forth / Mellifluous streams that water'd all the schools / Of Academicks old and new […]

   • 1853, Sir Egerton Brydges, Life of Milton:

     No verses can be more mellifluous than Petrarch's: something of this will perhaps be attributed to the softness of the Italian language; but the English tongue is also capable of it, however obstinately Johnson may have pronounced otherwise.

   • 2016 May 19, Rachel Aroesti, “Richard Ashcroft: These People review”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Certainly, he returns explicitly to the sound of Urban Hymns on his fourth solo album: neat, sad strings, unhurried percussion and his mellifluous foghorn of a voice.

   • 2017 October 20, Ben Beaumont-Thomas, “In dreams: Roy Orbison hologram to embark on UK tour in 2018”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     His iconic look, mellifluous croon and timeless songwriting means that he retains a strong fanbase.

   • 2022 July 12, Simon Montlake, “In Jan. 6 spotlight, Mike Pence navigates a tricky post-Trump path”, in The Christian Science Monitor:

     Radio proved a perfect fit for the mellifluous tones of Mr. Pence, who called himself “Rush Limbaugh on decaf.”

Usage notes

Not to be confused with melliferous (“of a plant or its parts: bearing any substance (such as nectar or pollen) which is collected by bees to produce honey; (by extension) producing honey; (figurative) honeyed, sweet”).

Derived terms

• mellifluousness

Related terms

• melliloquent
• superfluous

Translations

flowing like honey

• Catalan: mel·liflu (ca) m
• Dutch: stroperig (nl)
• Finnish: hunajamainen
• Italian: mellifluo (it)
• Portuguese: melífluo (pt) m
• Romanian: melifluu
• Spanish: melifluo (es)

sweet and smooth (tone, voice...)

• Bulgarian: сладкодумен (bg) (sladkodumen)
• Catalan: mel·liflu (ca) m
• Dutch: honingzoet (nl), zoetgevooisd (nl), welluidend (nl)
• Finnish: hunajainen (fi)
• French: mélodieux (fr), mielleux (fr) m, melliflue (fr) m or f
• German: honigsüß (de), lieblich (de), wohlklingend (de)
• Hebrew: ערב (he) m (arév)
• Maori: rōreka (of a voice), wainene
• Portuguese: melífluo (pt) m
• Romanian: melifluu
• Russian: медоточи́вый (ru) (medotočívyj), сладкозву́чный (ru) (sladkozvúčnyj)
• Spanish: melifluo (es)
• Swedish: honungslen (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} herrikbar (ku)