Lullaby
/ˈlʌl.ə.baɪ/noun
A soothing song or refrain used to help a child fall asleep.
Did you know?“Lullaby” is an ancient-sounding nursery word built from repeated soothing syllables, and its very shape shows how humans have long used sound itself as a kind of calming ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Early Modern English
English
lullaby
“a soothing song used to put a child to sleep”
Middle English
English
lullen
“to soothe or calm by murmuring or rocking”
Old English
OE
lullian
“to sing softly or soothe to sleep”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*lullōną
“to lull, soothe, or make quiet by soft sound”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leu-
“to loosen, relax, or make soft”