from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Vocal \Vo"cal\ (v[=o]"kal), a. [L. vocalis, fr. vox, vocis,
voice: cf. F. vocal. See {Voice}, and cf. {Vowel}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the voice or speech; having voice;
endowed with utterance; full of voice, or voices.
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To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade,
Made vocal by my song. --Milton.
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2. Uttered or modulated by the voice; oral; as, vocal melody;
vocal prayer. "Vocal worship." --Milton.
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3. Of or pertaining to a vowel or voice sound; also, spoken
with tone, intonation, and resonance; sonant; sonorous; --
said of certain articulate sounds.
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4. (Phon.)
(a) Consisting of, or characterized 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, [sect][sect] 199-202.
(b) Of or pertaining to a vowel; having the character of a
vowel; vowel.
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{Vocal cords} or {Vocal chords}. n. pl. (Anat.) The two pairs
of mucous membranes that project into the larynx, and
which produce the sounds of speech by vibrating under the
influence of air exhaled from the lungs. See {Larynx}, and
the Note under {Voice}, n., 1.
{Vocal fremitus} [L. fremitus a dull roaring or murmuring]
(Med.), the perceptible vibration of the chest wall,
produced by the transmission of the sonorous vibrations
during the act of using the voice.
{Vocal music}, music made by the voice, in distinction from
{instrumental music}; hence, music or tunes set to words,
to be performed by the human voice.
{Vocal tube} (Anat.), the part of the air passages above the
inferior ligaments of the larynx, including the passages
through the nose and mouth.
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