"vocable" meaning in English

See vocable in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈvəʊkəbl̩/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈvoʊkəbl̩/ [US] Audio: En-us-vocable.ogg
Etymology: From Latin vocō + -able. Etymology templates: {{suffix|en|la:vocō|able}} Latin vocō + -able Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} vocable (not comparable)
  1. (linguistics) Able to be uttered. Tags: not-comparable Categories (topical): Linguistics Synonyms: utterable, voiceable Derived forms: vocability Translations (able to be uttered): произносим (proiznosim) (Bulgarian)
    Sense id: en-vocable-en-adj-UO4CJTTX Categories (other): English terms suffixed with -able, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -able: 65 6 29 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 43 8 49 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 42 5 52 Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Noun

IPA: /ˈvəʊkəbl̩/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈvoʊkəbl̩/ [US] Audio: En-us-vocable.ogg Forms: vocables [plural]
Etymology: From Middle English vocable, from Middle French vocable and its etymon, Latin vocābulum, from vocō (“I call”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*wekʷ-}}, {{inh|en|enm|vocable}} Middle English vocable, {{der|en|frm|vocable}} Middle French vocable, {{der|en|la|vocābulum}} Latin vocābulum Head templates: {{en-noun}} vocable (plural vocables)
  1. (linguistics) A word or utterance, especially with reference to its form rather than its meaning. Categories (topical): Linguistics Translations (linguistics: word or utterance): дума (duma) [feminine] (Bulgarian), sane (Finnish), vokaabeli (english: word) (Finnish), äännähdys (english: utterance) (Finnish), სიტყვა (siṭq̇va) (Georgian), Vokabel [feminine] (German), vocábulo [masculine] (Portuguese)
    Sense id: en-vocable-en-noun-cIa7YypT Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences Disambiguation of 'linguistics: word or utterance': 91 9
  2. (music) A syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song. Categories (topical): Music, Singing Translations (music: syllable or sound without specific meaning): lallatus (Finnish), vokaabeli (Finnish)
    Sense id: en-vocable-en-noun-SOqD~2My Disambiguation of Singing: 23 31 45 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Georgian translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Portuguese translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 37 11 52 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 40 5 55 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 43 8 49 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 42 5 52 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 35 15 50 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 27 73 Disambiguation of Terms with Georgian translations: 30 70 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 23 77 Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music Disambiguation of 'music: syllable or sound without specific meaning': 20 80
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: vocabular, vocabulary
Etymology number: 1

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*wekʷ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "vocable"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English vocable",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "vocable"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French vocable",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "vocābulum"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vocābulum",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English vocable, from Middle French vocable and its etymon, Latin vocābulum, from vocō (“I call”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "vocables",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "vocable (plural vocables)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "vocabular"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "vocabulary"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Linguistics",
          "orig": "en:Linguistics",
          "parents": [
            "Language",
            "Social sciences",
            "Communication",
            "Sciences",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1974, Anthony Burgess, The Clockwork Testament:",
          "text": "Without words and almost with the seriousness of asylum nurses they at once set upon an unsavoury-looking matron who began to cry out Mediterranean vocables of distress.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1925, John Buchan, The House of the Four Winds:",
          "text": "At first the man puzzled; then he smiled. He pronounced a string of uncouth vocables.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A word or utterance, especially with reference to its form rather than its meaning."
      ],
      "id": "en-vocable-en-noun-cIa7YypT",
      "links": [
        [
          "linguistics",
          "linguistics"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ],
        [
          "form",
          "form"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(linguistics) A word or utterance, especially with reference to its form rather than its meaning."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "duma",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "дума"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "word": "sane"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "fi",
          "english": "word",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "word": "vokaabeli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "fi",
          "english": "utterance",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "word": "äännähdys"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "siṭq̇va",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "word": "სიტყვა"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Vokabel"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "vocábulo"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 11 52",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "40 5 55",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "43 8 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "42 5 52",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "35 15 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 73",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 70",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Georgian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 31 45",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Singing",
          "orig": "en:Singing",
          "parents": [
            "Music",
            "Talking",
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Human",
            "Communication",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "a. 2010, Victoria Lindsay Levine, Native American Music, Encyclopaedia Britannica:",
          "text": "Many Native American songs employ vocables, syllables that do not have referential meaning. These may be used to frame words or may be inserted among them; in some cases, they constitute the entire song text.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song."
      ],
      "id": "en-vocable-en-noun-SOqD~2My",
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "syllable",
          "syllable"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "song",
          "song"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) A syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "20 80",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "music: syllable or sound without specific meaning",
          "word": "lallatus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 80",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "music: syllable or sound without specific meaning",
          "word": "vokaabeli"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvəʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvoʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-vocable.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg/En-us-vocable.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "vocable"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la:vocō",
        "3": "able"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vocō + -able",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin vocō + -able.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "vocable (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Linguistics",
          "orig": "en:Linguistics",
          "parents": [
            "Language",
            "Social sciences",
            "Communication",
            "Sciences",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 6 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -able",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "43 8 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "42 5 52",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "vocability"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "a vocable marker",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Able to be uttered."
      ],
      "id": "en-vocable-en-adj-UO4CJTTX",
      "links": [
        [
          "linguistics",
          "linguistics"
        ],
        [
          "Able",
          "able"
        ],
        [
          "utter",
          "utter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(linguistics) Able to be uttered."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "utterable"
        },
        {
          "word": "voiceable"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "proiznosim",
          "sense": "able to be uttered",
          "word": "произносим"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvəʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvoʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-vocable.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg/En-us-vocable.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "vocable"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Middle French",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *wekʷ-",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms suffixed with -able",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Georgian translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "en:Singing"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*wekʷ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "vocable"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English vocable",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "vocable"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French vocable",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "vocābulum"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vocābulum",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English vocable, from Middle French vocable and its etymon, Latin vocābulum, from vocō (“I call”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "vocables",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "vocable (plural vocables)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "vocabular"
    },
    {
      "word": "vocabulary"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Linguistics"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1974, Anthony Burgess, The Clockwork Testament:",
          "text": "Without words and almost with the seriousness of asylum nurses they at once set upon an unsavoury-looking matron who began to cry out Mediterranean vocables of distress.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1925, John Buchan, The House of the Four Winds:",
          "text": "At first the man puzzled; then he smiled. He pronounced a string of uncouth vocables.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A word or utterance, especially with reference to its form rather than its meaning."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "linguistics",
          "linguistics"
        ],
        [
          "word",
          "word"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ],
        [
          "form",
          "form"
        ],
        [
          "meaning",
          "meaning"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(linguistics) A word or utterance, especially with reference to its form rather than its meaning."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned",
        "en:Music"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "a. 2010, Victoria Lindsay Levine, Native American Music, Encyclopaedia Britannica:",
          "text": "Many Native American songs employ vocables, syllables that do not have referential meaning. These may be used to frame words or may be inserted among them; in some cases, they constitute the entire song text.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "syllable",
          "syllable"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "song",
          "song"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) A syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvəʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvoʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-vocable.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg/En-us-vocable.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "duma",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "дума"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "word": "sane"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "english": "word",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "word": "vokaabeli"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "english": "utterance",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "word": "äännähdys"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "siṭq̇va",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "word": "სიტყვა"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Vokabel"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "linguistics: word or utterance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "vocábulo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "music: syllable or sound without specific meaning",
      "word": "lallatus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "music: syllable or sound without specific meaning",
      "word": "vokaabeli"
    }
  ],
  "word": "vocable"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms suffixed with -able",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "en:Singing"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "vocability"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la:vocō",
        "3": "able"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin vocō + -able",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin vocō + -able.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "vocable (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "en:Linguistics"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "a vocable marker",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Able to be uttered."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "linguistics",
          "linguistics"
        ],
        [
          "Able",
          "able"
        ],
        [
          "utter",
          "utter"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(linguistics) Able to be uttered."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvəʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈvoʊkəbl̩/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-vocable.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg/En-us-vocable.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/En-us-vocable.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "utterable"
    },
    {
      "word": "voiceable"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "proiznosim",
      "sense": "able to be uttered",
      "word": "произносим"
    }
  ],
  "word": "vocable"
}

Download raw JSONL data for vocable meaning in English (6.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.