Meaning & use
ululation
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A high, trembling cry made by vibrating the tongue, used in several cultures to show joy, grief or celebration.
Grammar: Can be a single cry (an ululation) or the sound in general: the sound of ululation filled the hall.
Patterns
- the ululation of someone
- a burst of ululation
Ululation rose from the women as the bride entered the courtyard.
The mourners' ululation carried across the valley at dusk.
A sudden ululation from the crowd told us the goal had been scored.
nouncountable or uncountableliterary
Any long, wailing howl or cry, such as that of a wolf or other animal.
Grammar: Used for non-human sounds too: the ululation of the wolves.
Patterns
- the ululation of something
The ululation of distant jackals woke the campers.
An eerie ululation echoed from the hills each night.
Word forms
| plural | ululations |
|---|
Common combinations
- burst into ululation
- The guests burst into ululation when the couple appeared.
- shrill ululation
- A shrill ululation cut through the noise of the market.
- cries of ululation
- Cries of ululation greeted the returning soldiers.
- mournful ululation
- A mournful ululation marked the funeral procession.
- ululation of the crowd
- The ululation of the crowd drowned out the band.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wail
- Wail suggests a long cry of sorrow or pain, while ululation is a rhythmic, trilling sound that may also express joy.
- howl
- Howl is a rough, drawn-out cry typical of dogs, wolves or wind, and lacks the tongue-trilled quality of ululation.
- keening
- Keening is a wailing lament for the dead, so it is narrower in feeling than ululation, which can be celebratory.
- trill
- Trill is a quick vibrating sound, often musical, and is much lighter than the carrying cry of ululation.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: ululation or undulation?
ululation vs undulation
Undulation means a smooth wave-like movement or rise and fall, not a sound, though the two words look alike.
Practice
At the wedding, the guests greeted the couple with loud ____ that echoed across the courtyard.
Choose one answer.
Ululation is the high trilling cry used to show joy. Undulation is a wavy movement, so it looks similar but cannot be heard as a cry.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ululation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.