wails

Wails are long, high-pitched cries typically expressing grief, pain, or fear. They are produced by humans and, in some cases, animals, and are characterized by a sustained pitch, loudness, and an expressive contour. In human speech, a wail often begins with a sharp onset and continues with a rising or fluctuating melody, sometimes interwoven with sobs or moaning. Culturally, wails appear in poetry, music, and ritual as expressions of lament or mourning, and are used metaphorically to describe powerful, grieving sounds.

In modern usage, the noun or verb “wail” can describe both emotional cries and loud mechanical noises such as sirens that emit a high-pitched, wavering tone. The phrase “the wail” may denote a mournful song or lament, while “to wail” can describe crying out in distress.

Physiologically, wails result from rapid, forceful expiration and vibration of the vocal folds, with resonance shaped by the upper vocal tract. They can be voluntary or reflexive, and are commonly produced by infants as a primary form of communication.

Across species, some animals emit wail-like distress calls that are long and melodically modulated, serving to communicate need or alarm over distance.

See also: cry, lament, scream, siren, wailing.