Wiktionary

vocal

See also: vocâl

English

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Etymology

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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

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Adjective

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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

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Translations

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Noun

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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

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See also

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References

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Asturian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Noun

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vocal f (plural vocales)

  1. (grammar) A vowel.
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Catalan

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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vocal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vocals)

  1. vocal

Derived terms

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Noun

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vocal f (plural vocals)

  1. vowel

Derived terms

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Further reading

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French

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Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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

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

Further reading

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Etymology 2

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Ellipsis of message vocal. Compare Italian vocale.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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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

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  • "vocal", Dictionnaire des francophones [1]

Old French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Adjective

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vocal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vocale)

  1. vocal (relating to a voice or voices)

Descendants

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Portuguese

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Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Latin vōcālis. Doublet of vogal. By surface analysis, voz +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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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

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Noun

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vocal m or f by sense (plural vocais)

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

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French vocal, from Latin vocalis.

Adjective

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

  1. vocal

Declension

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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

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin vōcālis.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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vocal f (plural vocales)

  1. vowel

Noun

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vocal m or f by sense (plural vocales)

  1. voter, member with vote rights

Descendants

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Adjective

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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

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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