voice English · revision 3358

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century|origins=la vōx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /vɔɪs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|vois]], [[bor|xno|voiz]] and Old French vois, voiz “voice, speech; word, rumour”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|vōx|t=voice, sound, utterance; word]], accusative vōcem,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) related to [[m|la|vocāre|t=to call]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*wekʷ-|alt=*wekw-|t=to speak]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Merriam-Webster compares Greek [[m|grc|ἔπος|tr=épos|t=word, speech]] and Sanskrit vāk “voice”.^(MWU 2024)^(MW Collegiate) The verb is from the noun.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The sound made by the human mouth: the late 13th century,^(Etymonline) probably before 1300, in ''Kyng Alisaunder'' and ''Arthour and Merlin''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A particular tone or quality of voice is from about 1300, and an individual's voice by the early 14th century.^(Etymonline) In Middle English it was also used of a ghost, God, a centaur or a frog, and by the early 14th century of things such as the wind or the thunder, and of abstractions such as the law or truth.^(Etymonline) In grammar, the form of a verb showing the relation of subject to action is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) “Expressed will or choice, a vote” is from the 14th century,^(Hoad 1986) and the expression of feeling from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) A singer's ability is a voice from about 1600.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The verb meant “to be commonly said” from the mid-15th century,^(Etymonline) 1453 in the OED,^(OED 1989) “to express, give utterance to” from about 1600,^(Etymonline) and “to pronounce with vibration of the vocal cords” from 1867.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 13th century – the sound of the voice.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – a tone or quality of voice.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – grammatical voice; expression of feeling.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1453 – verb, to be commonly said.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – a singer's voice; verb, to express.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1867 – to pronounce with the vocal cords.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sound produced by the [[vocal cords]] and mouth, especially in speaking or singing.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The ability to speak or sing, or a particular quality of it.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # The expression of an opinion, or the right to express one; a say.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # A person or group that expresses an opinion: ''the voice of the people''.^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(grammar)'' The form of a verb that shows whether the subject acts or is acted on, as in the [[active]] and [[passive]] voice.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(music)'' A part for a singer or instrument in a composition.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To express in words; to [[utter]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(phonetics)'' To pronounce with vibration of the vocal cords.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[voicer]]

+ * [[outvoice]]

+ * [[revoice]]

+ * [[unvoice]]

+ * [[voiceful]]

+ * [[devoice]]

+ * [[undervoice]]

+ * [[voice-activated]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vocable]]

+ * [[vocabulary]]

+ * [[vocal]]

+ * [[vocalize]]

+ * [[vocation]]

+ * [[vociferous]]

+ * [[vowel]]

+ * [[advocate]]

+ * [[invoke]]

+ * [[provoke]]

+ * [[epic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}