English Reference
noun · verb

voice

n. · v.
US /ˈvɔɪs/ UK /vˈɔɪs/ voice UK spelling voices

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.the sound you make through your mouth when you speak or sing.

    n.the sound produced by the vibration of the vocal cords in human speech or song.

    Simple

    She had a very soft voice, so I had to lean in to hear her.

    In context

    The singer's voice resonated throughout the auditorium, capturing the audience's attention with its remarkable range and clarity.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    n.the right to express your opinion or have a say in a decision.

    n.the expression of a particular opinion or the right to participate in a decision-making process.

    Simple

    The students wanted a voice in how the school spent its budget.

    In context

    Citizens demanded a stronger voice in the legislative process, arguing that their concerns were being ignored by the local council.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Literature

    n.the unique style or personality of a writer or a character in a book.

    n.the distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or a character within a literary work.

    Simple

    The author uses a funny, youthful voice to tell the story.

    In context

    Critics praised the novelist for developing a unique narrative voice that felt both authentic to the setting and emotionally resonant.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    n.a way of using verbs to show if the subject is doing the action or receiving it.

    n.a grammatical category that describes the relationship between the action expressed by a verb and the participants identified by its arguments.

    Simple

    In the sentence 'The cake was eaten,' the verb is in the passive voice.

    In context

    The professor advised the students to use the active voice in their essays to make their arguments more direct and engaging.

    Usage

    Commonly refers to 'active voice' or 'passive voice'.

  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    n.one of the different parts or melodies in a piece of music.

    n.an independent melodic line or instrumental part within a polyphonic composition.

    Simple

    The choir has four different voices: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

    In context

    The fugue features four distinct voices that enter one after another, creating a complex layer of harmony.

  6. 06 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    v.to say what you think or feel out loud.

    v.to give verbal expression to a thought, feeling, or opinion.

    Simple

    Several employees voiced their concerns about the new office rules.

    In context

    During the town hall meeting, residents were encouraged to voice any objections they had to the proposed construction project.

  7. 07 B1 Intermediate film

    v.to provide the speech for a character in a cartoon or video game.

    v.to perform the vocal part of a character in an animated film, television show, or game.

    Simple

    The famous actor was chosen to voice the hero in the new animated movie.

    In context

    She has voiced dozens of characters in popular video games, ranging from small children to elderly villains.

Usage voice pitch


Etymology 1

From Middle English voice, voys, vois, borrowed from Anglo-Norman voiz, voys, voice, Old French vois, voiz (Modern French voix), from Latin vōcem, accusative form of vōx (“voice”), from Proto-Indo-European wṓkʷs, root noun from wekʷ- (“to utter, speak”). Cognate with Sanskrit वाच् (vāc), Ancient Greek ὄψ (óps), Persian آواز (âvâz). Displaced native Middle English steven (“voice”) (from Old English stefn (see steven)), Old English hlēoþor, Old English woþ, and Old English reord. Compare advocate, advowson, avouch, convoke, vocal, vouch, vowel. Doublet of vox.

Etymology 2

From Middle English voysen, voicen, from the noun (see above).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *wṓkʷs
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Very common
Updated