dulcet
- Sweet and soothing to the ear; (of sound) soft, melodious, and pleasant.
In a sentence
- The dulcet tones of the cello drifted through the open windows of the concert hall into the warm evening air.
- He was known for greeting every customer with the same dulcet, unhurried voice that somehow made even complaints feel welcome.
Usage note. In modern use, 'dulcet' is sometimes employed ironically — as in 'dulcet tones' to describe an irritating voice — so pay attention to context to determine whether the usage is sincere or sarcastic.
Where it comes from
English dulcet — “sweet-sounding, melodious” · entered English 14th c.
From Middle English 'doucet,' borrowed from Old French 'doucet,' a diminutive of 'doux' (sweet), itself from Latin 'dulcis' (sweet). Latin 'dulcis' traces to Proto-Indo-European '*dlk-u-' meaning 'sweet.' The word entered English in the late 14th century, initially referring to sweetness in taste before narrowing to mean sweetness of sound.