vocalic

1 of 2

adjective

vo·​cal·​ic vō-ˈka-lik How to pronounce vocalic (audio)
və-
1
: marked by or consisting of vowels
2
a
: being or functioning as a vowel
b
: of, relating to, or associated with a vowel
vocalically adverb

vocalic

2 of 2

noun

: a vowel sound or sequence in its function as the most sonorous part of a syllable

Examples of vocalic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Such sounds are technically known as paralanguage (or vocalics), a field pioneered back in the 1950s by George L. Trager, a linguist who worked in the State Department's Foreign Service Institute. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vocalic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin vocalis vowel, from vocalis vocal

First Known Use

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vocalic was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near vocalic

Cite this Entry

“Vocalic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vocalic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vocalic

adjective
vo·​cal·​ic
vō-ˈkal-ik
1
: marked by or consisting of vowels
2
: of, relating to, or functioning as a vowel
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