VOCAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vocal mean? 

• VOCAL (noun)
  The noun VOCAL has 2 senses:

1. music intended to be performed by one or more singers, usually with instrumental accompaniment

2. a short musical composition with words

  Familiarity information: VOCAL used as a noun is rare.

• VOCAL (adjective)
  The adjective VOCAL has 4 senses:

1. relating to or designed for or using the singing voice

2. having or using the power to produce speech or sound

3. given to expressing yourself freely or insistently

4. full of the sound of voices

  Familiarity information: VOCAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VOCAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Music intended to be performed by one or more singers, usually with instrumental accompaniment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

vocal; vocal music

Hypernyms ("vocal" is a kind of...):

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A short musical composition with words

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

song; vocal

Context example:

a successful musical must have at least three good songs

Hypernyms ("vocal" is a kind of...):

composition; musical composition; opus; piece; piece of music (a musical work that has been created)

Meronyms (parts of "vocal"):

language; lyric; words (the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number)

chorus; refrain (the part of a song where a soloist is joined by a group of singers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vocal"):

love-song; love song (a song about love or expressing love for another person)

work song (a usually rhythmical song to accompany repetitious work)

torch song (a popular song concerned with disappointment in love)

serenade (a song characteristically played outside the house of a woman)

banquet song; scolion (a song (sometimes improvised) sung by guests at a banquet)

roundelay (a song in which a line or phrase is repeated as the refrain)

prothalamion; prothalamium (a song in celebration of a marriage)

partsong (a song with two or more voice parts)

golden oldie; oldie (a song that was formerly popular)

berceuse; cradlesong; lullaby (a quiet song intended to lull a child to sleep)

religious song (religious music for singing)

lied (a German art song of the 19th century for voice and piano)

folk ballad; folk song; folksong (a song that is traditionally sung by the common people of a region and forms part of their culture)

drinking song (a song celebrating the joys of drinking; sung at drinking parties)

coronach; dirge; lament; requiem; threnody (a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person)

ditty (a short simple song (or the words of a poem intended to be sung))

barcarole; barcarolle (a boating song sung by Venetian gondoliers)

ballad; lay (a narrative song with a recurrent refrain)

aria (an elaborate song for solo voice)

anthem (a song of devotion or loyalty (as to a nation or school))

• VOCAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Relating to or designed for or using the singing voice

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

organized a vocal group to sing his compositions

Antonym:

instrumental (relating to or designed for or performed on musical instruments)

Pertainym:

voice (the sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

Derivation:

vocalize (sing (each note a scale or in a melody) with the same vowel)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having or using the power to produce speech or sound

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

all vocal beings hymned their praise

Pertainym:

voice (the sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

Derivation:

vocalize (utter speech sounds)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Given to expressing yourself freely or insistently

Synonyms:

outspoken; vocal

Context example:

a vocal assembly

Similar:

communicative; communicatory (able or tending to communicate)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Full of the sound of voices

Context example:

a playground vocal with the shouts and laughter of children

Similar:

loud (characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity)

 Context examples 

Cancer that forms in tissues of the larynx (area of the throat that contains the vocal cords and is used for breathing, swallowing, and talking).

(Laryngeal cancer, NCI Dictionary)

It's followed by quick closing of the vocal cords, which produces the "hic" sound you make.

(Hiccups, NIH)

Representative examples include oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia of the vocal cords.

(Head and Neck Precancerous Condition, NCI Thesaurus)

The space in which the vocal cords are located.

(Glottis, NCI Thesaurus)

The area of the throat containing the vocal cords and used for breathing, swallowing, and talking.

(Larynx, NCI Dictionary)

Tissue that develops between the vocal cords.

(Laryngeal Web, NCI Thesaurus)

A clinical term that indicates the presence of a white patch on the mucosal surface of the vocal cords.

(Leukoplakia of Vocal Cords, NCI Thesaurus)

The upper part of the larynx, including the epiglottis; the area above the vocal cords.

(Murine Supraglottis, NCI Thesaurus)

The middle part of the larynx; the area where the vocal cords are located.

(Glottis, NCI Dictionary)

The process of producing vocal sounds by vibration of the vocal cords during an expiration of air.

(Phonation, NCI Thesaurus)