Ululate
/ˈjuːl.jə.leɪt/noun
To howl, wail, or emit a long, high-pitched cry, especially in grief or celebration.
Did you know?Ululate comes from Latin *ululare*, the howl of wolves and mourners, and it has been tied for centuries to funerals, ecstasy, and public rites of lamentation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ul-
“To howl or wail; an imitative root for a crying, ululating sound.”
Latin
Latin
ululare
“To howl, wail, or lament loudly.”
Late Latin
Latin
ululatus
“A howling or wailing cry.”
Old French
Old French
ululer
“To howl or lament.”
14th–16th Century
English
ululate
“To howl, wail, or utter a mournful cry.”
Modern English
English
ululate
“To emit a long, loud, mournful cry or howl.”