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vocal

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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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.
    Synonyms: oral, audible
    Antonyms: inaudible, quiet, silent, voiceless
    vocal melody, vocal prayer, vocal worship
    1. Expressing opinions or feelings freely, loudly, or insistently.
      Synonyms: outspoken, loud, audible
      Antonyms: inaudible, quiet, silent
      The protesters were very vocal in their message to the mayor.
      • 2025 February 19, Paul Clifton, “I am absolutely committed to reforming the railway”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 41:
        Hendy has come out as something of an evangelist for discontinuous electrification. For Waterloo-Exeter, this could make real sense on a route where the high capital cost of wiring or third rail all the way to Devon would be prohibitive. But what about his vocal support for it on East West Rail, which is effectively a brand new line?
    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

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

See also

References

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Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Noun

vocal f (plural vocales)

  1. (grammar) A vowel.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

vocal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vocals)

  1. vocal

Derived 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
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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. By surface analysis, voz +‎ -al.

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
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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

More information singular, plural ...
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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

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

Further reading

Anagrams

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