a cappella

American

[ah kuh-pel-uh, ah kahp-pel-lah] / ˌɑ kəˈpɛl ə, ˌɑ kɑpˈpɛl lɑ /

adverb

Music.

Sometimes acappella without instrumental accompaniment.
in the style of church or chapel music.

a cappella British

/ ɑː kəˈpɛlə /

adjective

music without instrumental accompaniment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

a cappella Cultural

Choral singing performed without instruments. The expression means “in chapel style” in Italian. Centuries ago, religious music composed for use in chapels — which, unlike large churches, had no organs — was usually for voices only.

Etymology

Origin of a cappella

First recorded in 1875–80; from Italian: literally, “in the manner of a chapel (choir)”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

a cappella

The atmosphere softened for an a cappella version of 'Grace', the well-known Irish ballad linked to the 1916 Easter Rising, before the national anthem rang out.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

Earlier in the day, Hill and Jean surprised fans with a pop-up appearance in London's Piccadilly Circus, performing an a cappella rendition of Ready or Not.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

He even manages to pull off an a cappella version of the 2004 Mario R&B ballad “Let Me Love You” without drifting into cringe territory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

Garcia played guitar on the couple’s 1975 album, “Keith & Donna,” and harmonized with the pair on the a cappella track “Who Was John.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025

This morning, Ty has us sing a cappella.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023