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motherese

British

/ ˌmʌðəˈriːz /

noun

the simplified and repetitive type of speech, with exaggerated intonation and rhythm, often used by adults when speaking to babies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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The work may also inspire others to look for motherese in other vocal-learning species, such as parrots and seals.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 25, 2023

The dolphin researchers don’t yet know whether dolphin calves prefer motherese whistles.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 25, 2023

The timbre – the voice color – also changes when people speak "motherese" compared to when talking to other adults.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021

This infant-directed speech – also known as motherese – is a special form of social feedback for the vocalizing infant.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021

Aigner-Clark hired the women from a nearby language school and instructed them to speak in "motherese," the universal, high-pitched tone that many mothers use when talking to their children.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023