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 kəˈpɛl.ə/
• Rhymes: -ɛlə

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

a cappella (plural a cappellas)

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. [from late 19th c.]

   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

• Afrikaans: a cappella
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 阿卡貝拉 (zh), 阿卡贝拉 (zh) (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), 아카펠라 (ko) (akapella)
• Latin: ad sacellum
• Lithuanian: kapela
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: a cappella (no)

• Persian: بی‌ساز‎ (bi-sâz)
• Polish: a cappella (pl)
• Portuguese: a cappella (pt), a capela (pt), à capela (pt)
• Russian: а капе́лла (ru) (a kapɛ́lla)
• Spanish: a cappella
• Swedish: a cappella (sv)
• Tagalog: sayil
• Turkish: akapella

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, Joshua S. Duchan, Powerful Voices, page 2:

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

3. (obsolete, music) alla breve.

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Afrikaans

Etymology

Either from Dutch a capella or from English a cappella, ultimately from Italian alla cappella.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: a‧cappella

Adverb

a cappella

1. (music) a cappella

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French

Alternative forms

• a capella

Etymology

From Italian a cappella.

Pronunciation

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

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

a cappella (invariable)

1. (music) a cappella

Adverb

a cappella

1. (music) a cappella

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Italian

Etymology

From a +‎ cappella (“choir of a church”).

Adverb

a cappella

1. (music) a cappella

Descendants

• → Chinese: 阿卡貝拉, 阿卡贝拉 (ākǎbèilā)
• → Dutch: a capella
• → English: a cappella, a capella, acapella
• → Estonian: a cappella
• → Finnish: a cappella
• → French: a cappella, a capella
• → German: a cappella
• → Japanese: アカペラ (akapera)
• → Korean: 아카펠라 (akapella)
• → Norwegian Bokmål: a cappella
• → Polish: a cappella, a capella
• → Portuguese: a cappella, a capela, a capella
• → Russian: а капе́лла (a kapélla)
• → Spanish: a capela, a capella, a cappella
• → Swedish: a cappella

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Norwegian Bokmål

Et a cappellaband. — An a cappella band.

Etymology

From Italian a cappella.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /akaˈpɛlːa/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlːa
• Hyphenation: a‧cap‧pel‧la

Adverb

a cappella

1. (music) a cappella (in a manner of a choir with no instrumental accompaniment)
   • 1982, Bergens Tidende:

     platen vil … inneholde noen mindre motetter for kor a capella og for kor med orgel

     the plate will … contain some minor motets for choir a capella and for choir with organ

   • 1999, Håvard Rem, Bob Dylan, page 35:

     i forrige århundre hadde fargede stått i kirkekor og sunget a cappella

     in the last century, colored people had stood in church choirs and sung a cappella

   synge a cappella ― sing a cappella

   fremføre a cappella ― perform a cappella

Derived terms

• acappellakor (“a cappella choir”)
• acappellasang (“a cappella song”)

References

• cappella “a cappella” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “a cappella” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).
• “a cappella” in Store norske leksikon

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Polish

Alternative forms

• a capella

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian a cappella.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a kaˈpɛl.la/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlla

Adjective

a cappella (not comparable)

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

   Synonym: wokalny

Adverb

a cappella (not comparable)

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

   Synonym: wokalnie

Further reading

• a cappella in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• a cappella in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Portuguese

Alternative forms

• à capela
• a capela
• a capella

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing 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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a kaˈpela/ [a kaˈpe.la]

Adverb

a cappella

1. Alternative spelling of a capela