FROM THE ARCHIVEFriday, October 23, 2026
tintinnabulation
tin-tin-nab-yuh-LAY-shun/ˌtɪntɪnˌnæbjəˈleɪʃən//noun
01 / MEANING
A tinkling or ringing sound, especially the sound of bells.
In a sentence.
- 01
The wind chimes' tintinnabulation drifted through the open window.
- 02
A faint tintinnabulation rose from the church tower at noon.
Where it came from.
Tintinnabulation comes from tintinnabulate and ultimately Latin tintinnabulum, ‘bell,’ related to a verb meaning ‘to ring or jingle.’
Explore the sourceWhy it’s interesting.
The repeated ‘tin’ syllables make the long word itself sound like little bells.