a cappella

English

Alternative forms

• a capella
• acapella

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian alla cappella (“in the manner of the [Sistine] chapel”), referring to non-instrumental choirs.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌæ.kəˈpɛl.ə/, /ˌæ.kæˈpɛl.ə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɑ kə.ˈpɛl.ə/
• Rhymes: -ɛlə

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

a cappella (plural a capellas)

1. (music) A vocal performance with no instrumental accompaniment.

Adverb

a cappella (not comparable)

1. (music) In a manner of a choir with no instrumental accompaniment; literally, "in the style of the (Sistine) Chapel (in Rome)", such as a musical Mass done a cappella. [First attested in the late 19th century.]

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

2. (obsolete, music) In alla breve time.

Translations

performed by a choir with no instrumental accompaniment

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 阿卡貝拉, 阿卡贝拉 (ākǎbèilā), 無伴奏合唱 (zh), 无伴奏合唱 (zh) (wúbànzòu héchàng)

• Dutch: a capella (nl)
• Estonian: a cappella (et)
• Finnish: a cappella (fi)
• French: a cappella (fr)
• German: a cappella (de)
• Italian: a cappella
• Japanese: アカペラ (akapera)
• Korean: 반주 없게 (banju eopge)

• Latin: ad sacellum
• Lithuanian: kapela
• Norwegian: a cappella (no)
• Persian: بی‌ساز‎ (bi-sâz)
• Polish: a cappella (pl)
• Portuguese: a cappella (pt), a capela (pt)
• Russian: а капе́лла (ru) (a kapɛ́lla)
• Spanish: a cappella
• Swedish: a cappella (sv)
• Tagalog: sayil

Adjective

a cappella (not comparable)

1. (music) Singing solely or mainly without instrumental accompaniment. [First attested in the late 19th century.]

   An a cappella group sang during the wedding reception.

2. (music, US) Related to a form of purely vocal music mostly associated with American college performance groups.
   • 2012. Powerful Voices. Joshua S. Duchan.

     Socially, a cappella groups tend to be tight-knit ensembles in which close interpersonal relationships are formed.

3. (obsolete, music) alla breve.

See also

• cappella
• chapel

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Italian

Adverb

a cappella

1. (music) a cappella

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Portuguese

Alternative forms

• a capela

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian a cappella.

Adverb

a cappella (not comparable)

1. (music) a cappella (performed by a choir with no instrumental accompaniment)

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Spanish

Adverb

a cappella

1. a cappella