lullaby
- A quiet, gentle song sung to soothe a child to sleep.
In a sentence
- She hummed a soft lullaby until the baby's eyes finally closed and his breathing slowed.
- Brahms' lullaby remains one of the most recognized melodies in the Western world.
Usage note. 'Berceuse' is the formal musical term for a lullaby-like composition; use 'lullaby' for the everyday vocal sense.
Where it comes from
English lullaby — “song to sleep child” · entered English 16th c.
The word is formed from 'lulla', a reduplicative soothing sound used to quiet children (compare 'lull'), combined with 'by', possibly from 'bye' used as a parting or soothing exclamation. 'Lull' itself derives from Middle English 'lullen', of imitative origin, echoing the sound of murmuring or humming. The compound form 'lullaby' appeared in English in the 16th century.