a cappella

American  

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

adverb

Music.

1. Sometimes acappella without instrumental accompaniment.

2. in the style of church or chapel music.

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a cappella British  

/ ɑː kəˈpɛlə /

adjective

1. music without instrumental accompaniment

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a cappella Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of a cappella

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

Example Sentences

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

“You pull it out of the piano, you put it on the harp, it’s still working, you take out of the harp, you sing it a cappella, it’s still working, good song.”

From Salon • Aug. 13, 2025

For this nearly a cappella doo-wop number, Joel sang every vocal part himself when a group he and Ramone had brought into the studio couldn’t stay in tune.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025

In front of a red velvet curtain with smudged mascara and a crystal teardrop on her cheek, Del Rio delivered a moving a cappella performance of “Llorando,” a Spanish-language take of Roy Orbison’s “Crying.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2025

I started in on an a cappella version of the latest Oscar Mayer commercial, hoping he might join in once the spirit moved him.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris