berceuse

[ French ber-sœz ]
See synonyms for berceuse on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural ber·ceuses [French ber-sœz]. /French bɛrˈsœz/. Music.
  1. a cradlesong; lullaby.

  2. a composition for instrument or voice, having a soothing, reflective character.

Origin of berceuse

1
1875–80; <French, equivalent to berc(er) to rock + -euse-euse

Words Nearby berceuse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use berceuse in a sentence

  • Every violinist plays, or ought to play, his delicious "berceuse."

    Masters of French Music | Arthur Hervey
  • When d'Albert plays Chopin's berceuse, beautifully, it is a lullaby for healthy male children growing too big for the cradle.

    Plays, Acting and Music | Arthur Symons
  • As she passed each corpse she knelt beside it and sang the foolish little berceuse that Poitou mothers sing to their babies.

    Leerie | Ruth Sawyer
  • The plaintive melody of the berceuse rang in her ears on duty and off, till at last she could stand it no longer.

    Leerie | Ruth Sawyer
  • If you would like some more, I will play you the berceuse now.

British Dictionary definitions for berceuse

berceuse

/ (French bɛrsøz) /


noun
  1. a cradlesong or lullaby

  2. an instrumental piece suggestive of this, in six-eight time

Origin of berceuse

1
C19: from French: lullaby, from bercer to rock

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012