# trill

> English word · Noun · IPA /tɹɪl/ · frequency rank #40,489

## Definitions
1. A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it as an ornament; in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
2. A type of consonantal sound that is produced by vibrations of the tongue against the place of articulation: for example, Spanish ⟨rr⟩, /r/.
3. A tremulous high-pitched vocal sound produced by cats.

## Etymology
From Middle English trillen, from Italian trillo, trillare. Compare German trillern, Norwegian trille, Swedish trilla.

## Easily confused with
- **trip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trip)
- **trio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trio)
- **trim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trim)
- **tris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-tris)
- **truly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-truly)
- **trips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trips)
- **troll** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-troll)
- **Trish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trish)
- **Tripp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-tripp)
- **trite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-trite)
- **tripe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-tripe)
- **twirl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-twirl)
- **triple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-triple)
- **Tyrell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trill-vs-tyrell)
- **tri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tri-vs-trill)
- **tell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tell-vs-trill)
- **till** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/till-vs-trill)
- **tall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tall-vs-trill)
- **tail** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tail-vs-trill)
- **toll** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toll-vs-trill)

## Common misspellings (6)
`rtill`, `tirll`, `tril`, `trlil`, `trrill`, `ttrill`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/trill