lilting

/ˈlɪltɪŋ/

Other forms: liltingly

Something that's lilting is musical or rhythmic. A lilting voice has a happy, sweet-sounding cadence.

Use the adjective lilting when you talk about something that swings musically along. Your favorite teacher's lilting voice might keep all of her students focused on her class, for example. Or you might choose to sing a lilting song as a way of cheering up a sad toddler. While the sixteenth century meaning was something closer to "lifting up," by the late 1700's to lilt was "to sing in a light manner."

Definitions of lilting

1. adjective

   characterized by a buoyant rhythm
   “an easy lilting stride”

   “the flute broke into a light lilting air”

   synonyms: swinging, swingy, tripping

   rhythmic, rhythmical

   recurring with measured regularity