What does vocalise mean?
Vocalise means to express something in words, especially an opinion, feeling, or concern that one wants to bring to public attention. It can therefore mean simply "say" or "express", but often suggests that the speaker is making a point heard by others: people vocalise concerns, criticism, or support. The word has a somewhat formal tone in this sense, although it is also used in discussions of music and voice training. In phonetics, vocalise has a more technical meaning: to make a sound voiced by vibrating the vocal cords. The spelling vocalise is standard in British English, while American English normally uses vocalize. Vocalise is related to vocal and vocalist, and ultimately to the Latin word for "voice". Its usefulness lies in combining the ordinary idea of expressing something with the more vivid idea of giving something a voice.
To express an idea, opinion, feeling, or concern in words, or to give voice to something.
"Parents gathered to vocalise their objections to the proposed school closures."
Often used in formal or public contexts where a concern, opinion, or feeling is being openly expressed.
To make a sound voiced by vibrating the vocal cords.
"The phonetics exercise asked students to vocalise the consonants carefully."
This is a technical use associated with phonetics and speech production.
“Give voice” is literal in vocalise: the word can mean voicing a concern, or giving a consonant its voice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vocalise come from?
The English verb was formed from vocal plus the suffix -ise, the British spelling of the -ize suffix associated with making or causing an action. Vocal comes through Latin vocalis, meaning "of or relating to the voice", from vox, meaning "voice". Related forms such as vocalist and vocalism preserve the same connection with the voice.
Related word forms
How vocalise is actually used
Vocalise is chiefly a British spelling, especially in formal contexts such as public debate and institutional communication. In everyday speech, "say", "express", or "voice" may sound more natural. Its technical use in phonetics refers to articulating a sound with vocal-cord vibration.
Easily confused with vocalise
Vocalise is the usual British spelling, while vocalize is the standard spelling in American English; they have the same meaning.