noun / verb
trill
TRIL/trɪl/
A sound made by rapid vibration or alternation between nearby pitches.
The score's trill alternates rapidly between two neighboring pitches.
Etymology
Italian trillio described quavering or warbling in singing—the wavering effect produced by rapidly alternating nearby notes. The word is probably ultimately an imitation of sound.
In context
the kind of fluttering between two notes is a trill
More examples
- A bird trills from a branch outside my window.
- She trills her r's when she speaks Spanish.
- The pianist plays a trill between two neighboring notes.
Forms
trill · trills · trilled · trilling
Similar words
- warble
- Suggests flowing pitch changes rather than rapid, regular alternation.
- quaver
- Emphasizes an unsteady trembling sound rather than controlled alternation.