What does yodelled mean?
Yodelled is the British English past tense and past participle of yodel, meaning to sing or call with a rapid alternation between high and low notes. The sound is especially associated with Alpine folk traditions, including those of Switzerland, Austria, and neighbouring regions, but “yodel” is also used more generally for similar calls made by people or birds. In a sentence such as “She yodelled across the valley,” the word conveys both the distinctive vocal technique and the carrying, celebratory quality of the call. It can sound playful, rustic, or nostalgic rather than formal, though context can make it neutral. As a verb form, yodelled requires a subject and normally appears in the past tense or as a past participle: “They had yodelled all evening.” The word is useful because it names a precise vocal practice that ordinary words such as sang or called only suggest. It is also the standard British spelling, while American English more often uses yodeled.
verbTo sing or call with a rapid alternation between high and low notes, especially in the manner of an Alpine yodel.
- To sing or call using a rapid alternation between high and low notes, especially in an Alpine or yodelling style.
"The guide yodelled across the valley, and the distant mountains returned the call."
"She yodelled a cheerful phrase as the cattle came down from the pasture."
"The mountaineers had yodelled across the pass before the storm reached them."
One voice, two pitch worlds: an Alpine yodel can turn a mountain valley into a musical instrument.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does yodelled come from?
English borrowed yodel from German jodeln in the 19th century, a word closely associated with the Alpine German-speaking region. The related German noun Jodel refers to yodelling or a yodel, while Jodler denotes a person who yodels. English subsequently developed the forms yodel, yodelling, and yodeller alongside the verb form yodelled; American spelling generally omits the second l in forms such as yodeled and yodeling.
Related word forms
How yodelled is actually used
The word often carries a cheerful, rustic, traditional, or nostalgic connotation, although it can describe any vocal call marked by abrupt changes between high and low notes.
Easily confused with yodelled
Yodelled is the standard British spelling, while yodeled is the usual American spelling of the same past-tense verb form.