Crossword answer · 5 letters
Lilts definition and meaning
lilts · plural noun; present-tense verb
What does Lilts mean?
Lilts are buoyant tunes, rhythms, or rising-and-falling qualities in speech. Lilts can also mean sings, speaks, or moves with that light rhythm.
What does LILTS mean in a crossword?
A clue about several melodies uses the plural noun; a clue such as “Sings lightly” uses the verb. The ending -s alone does not tell you which. In the recorded “Gentle musical melodies” clue, the noun reading fits.
Why is LILTS useful to learn?
Compare “The songs have lilts” with “Her voice lilts at the end.” The first names qualities; the second describes an action. This distinction lets the same five letters fit different grammatical clues without inventing a second answer.
Common clue patterns
- Buoyant musical rhythms — plural noun
- Rising-and-falling cadences in voices — plural noun
- Sings or speaks with a light rhythm — verb
These are editorially written pattern summaries, not a reproduced puzzle archive.
Other meanings to watch
Lilt can describe a springy movement as well as a tune or vocal cadence. It need not mean an accent: an accent includes pronunciation features, whereas a lilt concerns rhythm or pitch. LILTS is five letters; singular LILT is four.