a cappella

English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• a capella
• acapella

Etymology

From Italian alla cappella (“in the manner of the [Sistine] chapel”), referring to non-instrumental choirs; from Latin a-, ad, "to", + cappella, "chapel".

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛlə
• (UK) IPA: /ˌæ.kəˈpɛl.ə/, /ˌæ.kæˈpɛl.ə/ SAMPA: /%{.k@"pEl.@/, /%{.k{"pEl.@/
• (US) IPA: /ˌɑ.kəˈpɛl.ə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adverb

a cappella (not comparable)

1. (music) Performed by a soloist or choir with no instrumental accompaniment; literally "in the style of the (Sistine) Chapel (in Rome)"; such as a musical Mass done a cappella.
2. (music) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.
3. (music) Performed vocally without instrumental accompaniment.

   Groups of teens singing a cappella on street corners got recording contracts.

Translations

performed by a choir with no instrumental accompaniment

Chinese: Mandarin: 無伴奏 (zh), 无伴奏 (zh) (wúbànzòu) Dutch: a cappella (nl) Finnish: a cappella (fi) French: a cappella (fr) German: a cappella (de) Italian: a cappella (it) Japanese: アカペラに (ja) (akapera ni)

Korean: 반주 없게 (ko) (banju eopge) Latin: ad sacellum (la) Lithuanian: kapela (lt) Norwegian: a cappella (no) Russian: а капелла (ru) Spanish: a cappella (es) Swedish: a cappella (sv)

a time indication, equivalent to alla breve

Adjective

a cappella (not comparable)

1. (music) sung without instrumental accompaniment
2. (music) (of a choir) singing solely or mainly without instrumental accompaniment.

   An a cappella group sang during the wedding reception.

See also

• cappella
• chapel