Lullaby
n.calm, kindwarm
What it means
A gentle song intended to comfort someone or help them sleep.
Reach for it when naming soothing sung music, especially in a caregiving setting
Her father sang the same lullaby each night in a different language.
Choose between these
6- playful
sleep song
child-friendly wording emphasizes bedtime purpose
not when Sleep song is descriptive rather than an established genre term.
- everyday
soothing song
plain description suits music that brings calm
not when Any soothing song can relax an adult without being intended for sleep.
- warm
comforting melody
emotional reassurance matters more than lyrics
not when A melody alone may be unsung and need not function as a lullaby.
- professional
nursery song
music belongs to early-childhood care
not when Nursery songs may teach or energize children instead of settling them.
- formal
berceuse
music writing refers to a lullaby-like composition
not when Berceuse is a specialist French loanword and may be instrumental.
- literary
cradle song
traditional song at a child's bedside is meant
not when Cradle song is poetic and narrower than lullabies sung away from a cradle.
Said against
3- alarm
- rousing anthem
- wake-up call
It naturally appears in
3- sing a lullaby
Jo began to sing a lullaby as the train lights dimmed.
- gentle lullaby
The gentle lullaby quieted the crowded family room.
- familiar lullaby
A familiar lullaby helped the toddler settle in the new house.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun, soothing song for a child sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.