mellifluous

American  

[muh-lif-loo-uhs] / məˈlɪf lu əs /

adjective

1. sweetly or smoothly flowing; sweet-sounding: mellifluous tones.

   a mellifluous voice;

   mellifluous tones.

   Synonyms:

   harmonious, dulcet, musical, melodious

2. flowing with honey; sweetened with or as if with honey.

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mellifluous British  

/ mɪˈlɪflʊəs /

adjective

1. (of sounds or utterances) smooth or honeyed; sweet

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Other Word Forms

• mellifluously adverb
• mellifluousness noun
• unmellifluous adjective
• unmellifluously adverb

Etymology

Origin of mellifluous

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin mellifluus, equivalent to Latin melli- (stem of mel ) “honey” + -flu(ere) “to flow” + -us adjective suffix ( -ous )

Example Sentences

By 1978, his glossy album “Give Thankx” was influenced by his African travels, and its mellifluous production added the feel of American soul, showing off the power of his voice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

Known for his conversational style and a smooth, mellifluous voice, Marcus is a one-man operation, serving as his own engineer and equipment manager.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2025

Her mellifluous voice soundtracks the show; frankly, "Top Chef" is Padma's stage.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2023

Murphy, who is married to Yvonne McGuinness, an Irish artist, and has two teenage sons, speaks in a mellifluous Irish accent and is extremely handsome.

From New York Times • May 24, 2023

When you talk about Churchill’s “great rolling periods”— meaning his long, mellifluous sentences—you are primarily talking about sound effects: the gather and surge of a sentence toward its climax.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith