trill

(tril)

noun

a rapid alternation of a given musical tone with the tone a diatonic second above it
the warbling sound made by some birds
Phonet.
1. a rapid vibration of the tongue or uvula, as in pronouncing the sounds represented by r in some languages
2. a sound so produced

Origin: It trillo < trillare, to trill, of echoic orig.

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to sound, speak, or play with a trill

Origin: It trillare

Related Forms:

See trill in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A fluttering or tremulous sound, as that made by certain birds; a warble.
Music
a. The rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or a half tone apart.
b. A vibrato.
Linguistics
a. A rapid vibration of one speech organ against another, as of the tongue against the alveolar ridge in Spanish rr.
b. A speech sound pronounced with such a vibration.