Word of the day · 5 September 2026
mellifluous
/məˈlɪfluəs/
adjective
Sweet or musical to hear, as if flowing with honey.
In a sentence
- Her mellifluous reading made the dry report easy to follow.
- The cello line was mellifluous enough to quiet the room.
- Radio hosts with mellifluous voices keep listeners longer than sharp ones.
In an image
Origin
From Late Latin mellifluus, from mel (honey) and fluere (to flow).
History
English borrowed the word in the early 1600s for speech and song that sound smooth and pleasing. Writers used it for orators, poets and singers whose tone felt rich without strain. The honey image stuck because the word points to ease of sound, not only to sweetness of meaning. It remains a precise compliment when soft and lyrical are too vague.
Nearby words
euphonious · dulcet · harmonious
For voices and speech that pour rather than jab.