Tinkle describes a light, delicate ringing sound, like the soft clink of ice cubes touching in a glass of lemonade or the gentle chiming of small bells. Wind chimes make a tinkling sound on a breezy afternoon. When you tap a spoon against a crystal glass, it tinkles.

The word captures something light and musical, not loud or jarring. A massive church bell doesn't tinkle; it booms or peals. But the tiny bell on a cat's collar tinkles as the cat walks. Piano keys played very softly in the high register might produce a tinkling sound.

The word works as both a verb and a noun. You can say the bell tinkles (verb), or you can hear the tinkle of the bell (noun). Writers often use this word to create a gentle, peaceful mood in their descriptions, because the sound itself feels light and pleasant, like hearing distant laughter or rain tapping on a windowpane.