1. A vocal sound; specifically, a purely vocal element of speech, unmodified except by resonance; a vowel or a diphthong; a tonic element; a tonic; distinguished from a subvocal, and a nonvocal.

2. A man who has a right to vote in certain elections.

Origin: Cf. F. Vocal, LL. Vocalis.

1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice; endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices. "To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song." (Milton)

2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody; vocal prayer. "Vocal worship."

3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, poken with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; said of certain articulate sounds.

4. Consisting of, or characterised by, voice, or tone produced in the larynx, which may be modified, either by resonance, as in the case of the vowels, or by obstructive action, as in certain consonants, such as v, l, etc, or by both, as in the nasals m, n, ng; sonant; intonated; voiced. See Voice, and Vowel, also Guide to Pronunciation, 199-202. Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a vowel; vowel. Vocal cords or chords.

<anatomy> The part of the air passages above the inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages through the nose and mouth.

Origin: L. Vocalis, fr. Vox, vocis, voice: cf. F. Vocal. See Voice, and cf. Vowel.

(01 Mar 1998)

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