vocalise

¹ American  

[voh-kuh-leez] / ˌvoʊ kəˈliz /

noun

1. a musical composition consisting of the singing of melody with vowel sounds or nonsense syllables rather than text, as for special effect in classical compositions, in polyphonic jazz singing by special groups, or in virtuoso vocal exercises.

2. any such singing exercise or vocalized melody.

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vocalise ² American  

[voh-kuh-lahyz] / ˈvoʊ kəˌlaɪz /

verb (used with or without object)

vocalised, vocalising

1. Chiefly British. vocalize.

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vocalise British  

/ ˌvəʊkəˈliːz /

noun

1. a musical passage sung upon one vowel as an exercise to develop flexibility and control of pitch and tone; solfeggio

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Etymology

Origin of vocalise

1870–75; < French vocalise, apparently noun derivative of vocaliser to vocalize, with -ise taken as a noun suffix ( -ise ² )

Example Sentences

Three female voices — Holly Sedillos, Catherine Brookman and Eliza Bagg, often employing woodwind-like vocalise — could have been pulled from a Minimalist ensemble.

From New York Times • May 22, 2023

Louise and Andy Davies, from Brecon, sought help when their three-year-old son Ethan became frustrated when he could not vocalise what he wanted to say.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2022

The Kalevala text is whispered, not sung; the rest of the soprano part is almost entirely vocalise: wordless singing.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2019

CBC: Do you think that might become part of our journalistic careers – being that voice for people who are disenfranchised or unable to vocalise the prejudice they’re subjected to?

From The Guardian • May 12, 2016

Those which were brooding, as they flitted over the nests or clung to the edges, uttering a peculiar note hard to vocalise.

From My Tropic Isle by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)