I.that utters a voice, sounding, sonorous, speaking, crying, singing, vocal.
I. Lit.
A. Adj.: “aves cantu aliquo aut humano sermone vocales,” Plin. 10, 51, 72, § 141: “ranae (opp. mutae),” id. 8, 58, 83, § 227: “scarabaei nocturno stridore,” id. 11, 28, 34, § 98: “piscis,” id. 9, 19, 34, § 70: “ora (vatis),” Ov. M. 5, 332; 11, 8: “nympha (of Echo),” id. ib. 3, 357: “Orpheus,” Hor. C. 1, 12, 7: “chordae,” Tib. 2, 5, 3: “carmen,” Ov. M. 11, 317: “boves,” endowed with speech, Tib. 2, 5, 78: genus instrumenti, i. e. slaves (opp. semivocale and mutum), Varr. R. R. 1, 17, 1: “ne quem vocalem praeteriisse videamur,” speaking, talking, Cic. Brut. 69, 242; cf. Val. Max. 1, 8, ext. 4: “antra,” in which oracles were given, Stat. Th. 1, 492: “terra, Dodonis,” Ov. M. 13, 716: “genus signorum,” Veg. Mil. 3, 5.—Comp.: “vocaliora sunt vacua quam plena,” Sen. Q. N. 2, 29; cf.: “sunt aliis alia (verba) jucundiora, vocaliora ... verba e syllabis magis vocalia (corresp. to melius sonantes syllabae),” more vocal, clearer, Quint. 8, 3, 16.—Sup.: “eligere vocalissimum aliquem, qui legeret,” i. e. with the most powerful voice, Plin. Ep. 4, 7, 2.—
B. Substt.
1. vōcālis , is, f. (littera), a vowel, Cic. Or. 23, 77; Auct. Her. 4, 12, 18; Quint. 1, 4, 6; 1, 5, 20; 1, 7, 14; 1, 7, 26.—
2. vōcāles , ĭum, m. (homines), vocalists, singers (late Lat.), Lampr. Alex. Sev. 34; Sid. Ep. 1, 2 fin.—