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Vocal

 - 5 dictionary results

vo⋅cal

[voh-kuhl]
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or uttered with the voice: the vocal mechanism; vocal criticism.
2. rendered by or intended for singing: vocal music.
3. having a voice: A dog is a vocal, but not a verbal, being.
4. giving forth sound with or as with a voice.
5. inclined to express oneself in words, esp. copiously or insistently: a vocal advocate of reform.
6. Phonetics.
a. vocalic (def. 1).
b. voiced.
–noun
7. a vocal sound.
8. a musical piece for a singer, usually with instrumental accompaniment. Compare instrumental (def. 6).

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L vōcālis, equiv. to vōc- (s. of vōx) voice + -ālis -al 1


vo⋅cal⋅i⋅ty [voh-kal-i-tee] , vo⋅cal⋅ness, noun
vo⋅cal⋅ly, adverb


5. vociferous, outspoken.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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vo·cal   (vō'kəl)   
adj.  
  1. Of or relating to the voice: the vertebrate vocal organs; a vocal defect.

  2. Uttered or produced by the voice.

  3. Having a voice; capable of emitting sound or speech.

  4. Full of voices; resounding: a playground vocal with the shouts and laughter of children.

  5. Tending to express oneself often or freely; outspoken: a vocal critic of city politics.

  6. Linguistics

    1. Of or resembling vowels; vocalic.

    2. Voiced.

  7. Music Of, relating to, or performed by singing: vocal training; vocal music.

n.  
  1. A vocal sound.

  2. Music A popular composition for a singer, often with instrumental accompaniment.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vōcālis, from vōx, vōc-, voice; see wekw- in Indo-European roots.]
vo'cal·ly adv., vo'cal·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

vocal  (adj.)
c.1395, "spoken, oral," from O.Fr. vocal, from L. vocalis "sounding, sonorous, speaking," as a noun, "a vowel," from vox (gen. vocis) "voice" (see voice). In ref. to music (as opposed to instrumental), first recorded 1586; meaning "outspoken" first attested 1871. The verb vocalize is attested from 1669.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: vo·cal
Pronunciation: 'vO-k&l
Function: adjective
1 : uttered by the voice : ORAL
2 : having or exercising the power of producing voice, speech, or sound
3 : of,relating to, or resembling the voice <vocal dysfunction due to throat infection> —vo·cal·i·ty /vO-'kal-&t-E/ noun plural -ties
vo·cal·ly /'vO-k&-lE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

vocal vo·cal (vō'kəl)
adj.

  1. Of or relating to the voice.

  2. Capable of emitting sound or speech.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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