What does vocalisation mean?
Vocalisation is the act of producing sounds with the voice, and it can also name a particular vocal sound, call, or utterance. The process sense covers speech, singing, voice exercises, or expressive use of the voice; the countable sense concerns identifiable sounds, such as a bird's repeated calls or a performer's imitation of someone. In British English the word is spelled with -isation, while American English normally uses vocalization; the pronunciation and meaning remain the same. The term is especially useful in linguistics, voice training, theatre, and animal communication, where it distinguishes the physical act of vocal production from the resulting sound or communicative effect. In everyday use it may sound more technical than speech, but it conveys precision: vocalisation can refer both to the deliberate shaping of a phrase and to an involuntary cry. It is therefore both a process and an output, making it more specific than the broad idea of a voice.
nounThe act or process of producing sound with the voice, especially deliberate or expressive vocal production. It can also refer to a particular vocal sound, call, or utterance.
- The act or process of producing sound with the voice, as in speaking, singing, or exercising the voice.
- A particular sound, call, or utterance produced with the voice.
"The therapist asked him to repeat the phrase with slow, controlled vocalisation."
"The therapist asked him to repeat the phrase with slow, controlled vocalisation."
"The scientist recorded the animal's vocalisations at dusk to study its range of calls."
The regular plural refers to distinct vocal sounds, calls, or utterances.
"The parrot produced a series of recognisable vocalisations."
Its Latin ancestor, vox, means “voice”—so a vocalisation is, quite literally, a making with the voice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vocalisation come from?
Vocalisation was formed in English from vocalise, itself derived from vocal, with the suffix -ation. The ultimate source is Latin vox, meaning “voice,” and vocal is based on Latin vocalis, meaning “of or pertaining to the voice.” Related English words include vocable and vocabulary, while the American spelling vocalization reflects an orthographic convention rather than a difference in meaning or pronunciation.
Related word forms
How vocalisation is actually used
Neutral to formal and especially common in linguistics, voice training, theatre, speech therapy, and animal communication. In the countable sense, it is often used for distinct calls or vocal sounds.
Easily confused with vocalisation
Vocalisation is the British spelling, whereas vocalization is the standard American spelling of the same noun.