Standard Lemma guide

ululate

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈjuːljuleɪt/
  • /ˈʌljəleɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To howl loudly or prolongedly in lamentation or joy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bay, howl, wail

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To produce a rapid and prolonged series of sharp noises with one's voice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

emit long loud cries

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • wail in self-pity
  • howl with sorrow

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: howl, wail, roar, yawl, yaup

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shout, shout out, cry, call, yell, scream, holler, hollo, squall

Narrower terms: squall, waul, wawl

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ululō, ululātus, of imitative origin. Cognate with Spanish aullar (“to howl”) and ulular (“to hoot”), and French ululer (“to howl”).

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Aromanian: urlu — to howl loudly
  • Aromanian: aurlu — to howl loudly
  • Bulgarian: вия (vija) — to howl loudly
  • Catalan: ulular — to howl loudly
  • Catalan: udolar — to howl loudly
  • Czech: skučet — to howl loudly
  • Dutch: ululeren — to howl loudly
  • Finnish: ulvoa — to howl loudly
  • French: ululer — to howl loudly
  • French: hululer — to howl loudly
  • Friulian: urlâ — to howl loudly
  • German: heulen — to howl loudly
  • Greek: αλαλάζω (alalázo) — to howl loudly
  • Hungarian: üvölt — to howl loudly
  • Ido: ulular — to howl loudly
  • Italian: ululare — to howl loudly
  • Korean: 울다 (ulda) — to howl loudly
  • Korean: 울부짖다 (ulbujitda) — to howl loudly
  • Korean: 우짖다 (ujitda) — to howl loudly
  • Northern Kurdish: nalîn — to howl loudly
  • Latin: ululō — to howl loudly
  • Mpade: swe — to howl loudly
  • Norman: heurler — to howl loudly
  • Polish: zawodzić — to howl loudly
  • Polish: wyć — to howl loudly
  • Polish: lamentować — to howl loudly
  • Portuguese: ulular — to howl loudly
  • Romanian: urla — to howl loudly
  • Romansh: urlar — to howl loudly
  • Romansh: üerler — to howl loudly
  • Serbo-Croatian: urlati — to howl loudly
  • Serbo-Croatian: zavijati — to howl loudly
  • Spanish: ulular — to howl loudly
  • Venetan: urlar — to howl loudly