lullaby

American  

[luhl-uh-bahy] / ˈlʌl əˌbaɪ /

noun

lullabies plural

1. a song used to lull a child to sleep; cradlesong.

2. any lulling song.

---

verb (used with object)

lullabied, lullabying

1. to lull with or as with a lullaby.

lullaby British  

/ ˈlʌləˌbaɪ /

noun

1. a quiet song to lull a child to sleep

2. the music for such a song

---

verb

1. (tr) to quiet or soothe with or as if with a lullaby

Etymology

Origin of lullaby

1550–60; equivalent to lulla, lulla ( y ), interjection used in cradlesongs ( late Middle English lullai, lulli ) + -by, as in bye-bye

Explanation

If anyone has ever sung a song to you before bedtime, trying to lull you to sleep, you can call that song a lullaby. Lullabies are usually soft and soothing tunes — more like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" than AC/DC's "Back in Black." Many lullabies are folk tunes, and most of them are simple melodies with repetitive lyrics. You might be familiar with lullabies like "Hush, Little Baby," "Rockabye Baby," and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," all of which have been sung for generations to sleepy children by their parents, grandparents, and babysitters. The word lullaby comes from the Middle English lullen, "to lull or soothe," and bye, as in "bye bye."

Example Sentences

Jepsen continued posting on Instagram about her maternity journey with fans, in January posting photos from the beach, from home and from fitting rooms as she spoke about finding a lullaby for her child-to-be.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

In one of the film’s most stirring moments, indicative of its quiet power, Duvall keeps his back to the camera as he sings a lullaby hymn only for himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Cheerful illustrations accompanied by rhyming text enumerate little acts of love over the course of a day, from early-morning wake-ups to indulging requests for one more bedtime lullaby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

“Writing a lullaby helped to preserve the maternal aura that had to be maintained in ghettoes and camps with large populations of women and children.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

I stopped, still straddling my bike, and at first all I could hear was the river, its waters churning out an eerie lullaby.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall