different between pleasing vs mellifluous

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pli?z??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pliz??/
• Rhymes: -i?z??

Etymology 1

From Middle English plesynge, pleizinge, plesende (present participle), equivalent to please +? -ing.

Adjective

pleasing (comparative more pleasing, superlative most pleasing)

1. Agreeable; giving pleasure, cheer, enjoyment or gratification.

Synonyms

• enjoyable
• gratifying
• satisfying

Derived terms

• pleasing fungus beetle

Related terms

Translations

Verb

pleasing

1. present participle of please.

Etymology 2

From Middle English plesing, plesinge (“satisfaction; pleasing”), equivalent to please +? -ing.

Noun

pleasing (countable and uncountable, plural pleasings)

1. pleasure or satisfaction, as in the phrase "to my pleasing."
   • a. 1677, Isaac Barrow, The Passion of our Blessed Saviour (sermon)

     What more palpable confutation can there be of human vanity and arrogance, of all lofty imaginations, all presumptuous confidences, all turgid humours, all fond self-pleasings and self-admirings, than is that tragical cross […]

Anagrams

• apelings, elapsing, leapings, pealings

English

Etymology

From Latin mellifluus (“flowing like honey”), from mel (“honey”) + flu? (“flow”). Compare superfluous and fluid, from same root, and with dulcet (“sweet speech”), alternative Latinate term with a similar meaning.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /m??l?flu.?s/, /m??l?flu.?s/

Adjective

mellifluous (comparative more mellifluous, superlative most mellifluous)

1. Flowing like honey.
2. (figuratively) Sweet, smooth and musical; pleasant to hear (generally used of a person's voice, tone or writing style).

   Synonyms: birdsweet, dulcet, euphonious, mellifluent

   • 1853: Sir Egerton Brydges, "Life of Milton"

     No verses can be more mellifluous than Petrarch's: something of this will perhaps be attributed to the softness of the Italian language; but the English tongue is also capable of it, however obstinately Johnson may have pronounced otherwise.

Derived terms

• mellifluousness

Related terms

• melliloquent
• superfluous

Translations