vocal
/ˈvoʊ̯.kəl/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.16 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
adj
Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
adj
Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
adj
Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
adj
Of, pertaining to, or resembling the human voice or speech.
Example Sentences
- "vocal problems"
- "vocal apparatus"
- "vocal melody, vocal prayer, vocal worship"
- "The protesters were very vocal in their message to the mayor."
- "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?"
- "To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ-der. Proto-Indo-European *wṓkʷs Proto-Italic *wōks Latin vōx Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin vōcālisbor. Middle English vocal English vocal 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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: vocal, vōcālis
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈvoʊ̯.kəl/
- British English: /ˈvəʊ̯.kəl/
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
vocal blackface
vocal cord
vocal chord
vocal fold
vocal fremitus
vocal fry
vocal minority
vocal music