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Added 9 October 2026

vocal

/ˈvəʊ̯.kəl/ adjective

Latin root: vōcālis Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about vocal at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
vocal problems
Used in the production of speech sounds.
vocal apparatus
Relating to, composed or arranged for, or sung by the human voice.

noun

A vocal sound; specifically, a purely vocal element of speech, unmodified except by resonance; a vowel or a diphthong; a tonic element; a tonic.
A part of a piece of music that is sung.
A musical performance involving singing.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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