trill

(tril)

noun

  1. a rapid alternation of a given musical tone with the tone a diatonic second above it
  2. the warbling sound made by some birds
  3. 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
  1. A fluttering or tremulous sound, as that made by certain birds; a warble.
  2. Music
    a. The rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or a half tone apart.
    b. A vibrato.
  3. 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.
verb trilled, tril·ling, trills
verb, transitive
  1. To sound, sing, or play with a trill.
  2. To articulate (a sound) with a trill.
verb, intransitive
To produce or give forth a trill.

Origin:

Origin: Italian trillo

Origin: , from trillare, to trill

Origin: , probably ultimately of imitative origin

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