vocal

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See also: vocâl

English

Etymology

Late Middle English vocal, borrowed from Latin vōcālis (“uttering a voice, sounding, speaking”), from vōx (“a voice, sound, tone”) +‎ -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). Doublet of vowel and vocalis. Compare Old French vocal.

Pronunciation

Adjective

vocal (comparative more vocal, superlative most vocal)

  1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
    vocal problems
    1. (anatomy) Used in the production of speech sounds.
      vocal apparatus
    2. (music) Relating to, composed or arranged for, or sung by the human voice.
    3. (phonetics) Consisting of, or characterized by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc., or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng.
      Synonyms: sonant, intonated, voiced
    4. (phonetics) Synonym of vocalic.
  2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; expressed in words.
    vocal melody, vocal prayer, vocal worship
    Synonyms: oral, audible
    Antonyms: inaudible, quiet, silent, voiceless
    1. Expressing opinions or feelings freely, loudly, or insistently.
      The protesters were very vocal in their message to the mayor.
      Synonyms: outspoken, loud, audible
      Antonyms: inaudible, quiet, silent
    2. Having or exercising the power of producing voice, speech, or sound.
      Synonym: spoken
    3. Synonym of expressive.
    4. Full of voices.
      Synonym: resounding

Derived terms

Translations

vocalic — see vocalic
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

vocal (plural vocals)

  1. (phonetics) A vocal sound; specifically, a purely vocal element of speech, unmodified except by resonance; a vowel or a diphthong; a tonic element; a tonic.
    Coordinate terms: subvocal, nonvocal
  2. (music) A part of a piece of music that is sung.
    Synonym: song
    Hyponyms: backup vocals, lead vocals
    • 1975, Billboard, volume 87, number 24, page 50:
      Best cuts: "The Evil Dude," "Kung Fu, Too!" "Mama Love," "New Orleans" (with a punchy vocal by Teresa Brewer).
    1. (acting) A musical performance involving singing.
  3. (Catholicism) A man in the Roman Catholic Church who has a right to vote in certain elections.

Derived terms

Related terms

See also

References

Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Noun

vocal f (plural vocales)

  1. (grammar) A vowel.

Related terms

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

vocal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vocals)

  1. vocal

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

vocal f (plural vocals)

  1. vowel

Derived terms

Further reading

French

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French vocal, borrowed from Latin vōcālis. Doublet of voyelle.

Pronunciation

Adjective

vocal (feminine vocale, masculine plural vocaux, feminine plural vocales)

  1. vocal, related to the voice
Derived terms
Descendants
  • → Turkish: vokal

Further reading

Etymology 2

Ellipsis of message vocal. Compare Italian vocale.

Pronunciation

Noun

vocal m (plural vocaux)

  1. (slang) voice message
    • T’inquiètes, je t’envoies un vocal pour t’expliquer.
      Don't worry, I'm gonna send you a voice message to explain it to you.

Further reading

  • "vocal", Dictionnaire des francophones

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Adjective

vocal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vocale)

  1. vocal (relating to a voice or voices)

Descendants

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin vōcālis. Doublet of vogal.

Pronunciation

 

Adjective

vocal m or f (plural vocais)

  1. vocal (of or relating to the voice or speech)
  2. vocal (uttered or modulated by the voice)

Derived terms

Noun

vocal m or f by sense (plural vocais)

  1. vocalist (singer in a band)
    Synonym: vocalista

Related terms

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French vocal, from Latin vocalis.

Adjective

vocal m or n (feminine singular vocală, masculine plural vocali, feminine and neuter plural vocale)

  1. vocal

Declension

Declension of vocal
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative/
accusative 		indefinite vocal vocală vocali vocale
definite vocalul vocala vocalii vocalele
genitive/
dative 		indefinite vocal vocale vocali vocale
definite vocalului vocalei vocalilor vocalelor

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /boˈkal/
  • Audio (Colombia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: vo‧cal

Noun

vocal f (plural vocales)

  1. vowel

Noun

vocal m or f by sense (plural vocales)

  1. voter, member with vote rights

Descendants

Adjective

vocal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vocales)

  1. by means of the voice
  2. related to the voice
  3. using the voice

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

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