breathy

[ breth-ee ]

adjective

, breath·i·er, breath·i·est.

1. (of the voice) characterized by audible or excessive emission of breath.

breathy

/ ˈbrɛθɪ /

adjective

1. (of the speaking voice) accompanied by an audible emission of breath
2. (of the singing voice) lacking resonance

Derived Forms

• ˈbreathily, adverb
• ˈbreathiness, noun

Other Words From

• breathi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of breathy¹

First recorded in 1520–30; breath + -y ¹

Example Sentences

A veteran musical comedy actor with zero puppetry experience prior to joining the tour, Zielinski nails Blanche’ familiar breathy Southern tones.

From Washington Blade

That new part of the song immediately caught fire on TikTok, with dancers around the world showing off their smooth footwork to accompany Amaarae’s breathy vocals.

From Time

The breathy delivery of the vocals and the exasperated sighs let out throughout the track help signal the rising temperatures, while the instrumentation’s palpitating thumps emulate a fervent heart’s beating.

From Time

She knows when to belt, when to hold back and when to go for a breathy note.

From Washington Post

On the show, she was the epitome of Marilyn Monroe hotness, but subbed loud belches for breathy coos—and then laughed about it.

From The Daily Beast

A healthy majority of these posts are the angsty exaggerations of teenagers and breathy recitations of the latest pop trends.

From The Daily Beast

Helen cultivated a low and seductively breathy voice and gushed with compliments to win people to her wishes.

From The Daily Beast

Her voice is breathy and soft; her moves subtle and seductive.

From The Daily Beast

In other news, Katherine Jenkins is trending on Twitter after her Jubilicious and breathy performance singing God save the Queen.

From The Daily Beast

It was empty, and as he came slowly back and stood looking down into her face a low, breathy chuckle sounded in his ear.

From Project Gutenberg

"You seem to know a great deal about his love-making," she said at last, with the breathy calm of controlled temper.

From Project Gutenberg

"Come away with yuh, Mary Cregan," Mrs. Byrne cried, in her breathy huskiness.

From Project Gutenberg

"I don't really know why she's idling like that," Sarah Brown heard him say in his breathy pathetic voice.

From Project Gutenberg

His voice was rather higher than Malone would have expected, oddly breathy without much depth to it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• discordant
• gravelly
• gruff
• harsh
• raucous
• throaty