ululate
[ uhl-yuh-leyt, yool- ]
verb (used without object),ul·u·lat·ed, ul·u·lat·ing.
to utter a loud, long, high-pitched, trilling sound that resembles a howl, especially to express grief or joy: the Middle Eastern custom of ululating at weddings and funerals.
to lament loudly and shrilly.
Origin of ululate
1First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ululātus, past participle of ululāre “to howl, shriek,” of imitative origin; akin to Greek hylân, ololýzein “to howl, wail,” Sanskrit ululí- “howling”; see -ate1
Other words from ululate
- ul·u·la·tion [uhl-yuh-ley-shuhn, yool-], /ˌʌl yəˈleɪ ʃən, ˌyul-/, noun
Words Nearby ululate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for ululate
ululate
/ (ˈjuːljʊˌleɪt) /
verb
(intr) to howl or wail, as with grief
Origin of ululate
1C17: from Latin ululāre to howl, from ulula screech owl
Derived forms of ululate
- ululant, adjective
- ululation, noun
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
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