US /ˈvoʊ̯.kəl/ UK /ˈvəʊ̯.kəl/
adj noun Freq #8927

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Expressing your opinions openly and forcefully.

    The group is very vocal about their beliefs.

  2. 2
    adj

    Relating to the voice or to singing.

    The singer's vocal technique is excellent.

  3. 3
    noun

    The sung part of a piece of music.

    Have you listened to the vocals I sent you?

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · expressing your opinions... outspoken
3 noun · the sung part of a piece of... vocal music
Word family
Forms vocallyvocals
Derived forms audiovocalbivocalcricovocalmonovocalnonvocalpolyvocalsemivocalsubvocalunvocalvocalesevocalicvocalise

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ-der. Proto-Indo-European *wṓkʷs Proto-Italic *wōks Latin vōx Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? 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.

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