a capella

See also: acapella

English

WOTD – 22 November 2008

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌækəˈpɛlə/, /ˌɑːkəˈpɛlə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

Adverb

a capella

1. Misspelling of a cappella.

Adjective

a capella

1. Misspelling of a cappella.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian a cappella (“in the manner of a chapel choir”, literally “from the chapel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌaː kɑˈpɛ.laː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: a ca‧pel‧la

Adverb

a capella

1. a cappella, singing without instrumental accompaniment

Derived terms

• a-capellakoor

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a ka.pɛ.la/ ~ /a ka.pe.la/

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Adjective

a capella (invariable)

1. alternative spelling of a cappella

Adverb

a capella

1. alternative spelling of a cappella

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian a cappella.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a‿kaˈpɛl.la/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlla
• Syllabification: a ca‧pe‧lla

Adjective

a capella (not comparable, no derived adverb)

1. alternative spelling of a cappella

Adverb

a capella (not comparable)

1. alternative spelling of a cappella

Further reading

• “a capella”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[1] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “a capella”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[2] (in Polish)

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a kaˈpela/ [a kaˈpe.la]
• Syllabification: a ca‧pe‧lla

Adverb

a capella

1. alternative form of a capela

   Alternative form: a cappella

Further reading

• Seco, Manuel; Andrés, Olimpia; Ramos, Gabino (2023), “a capella”, in Diccionario del español actual [Dictionary of Current Spanish] (in Spanish), third digital edition, Fundación BBVA
• “a capella”, in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas [Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts] (in Spanish), 2nd edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española]; Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2023, →ISBN