noun
Very common
la
lah
La (noun) means In solfège, the syllable used for the sixth note of a major scale. Example: “She practised the scale slowly, singing do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do.”
noun
1
In solfège, the syllable used for the sixth note of a major scale.
"She practised the scale slowly, singing do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do."
"The melody kept landing on la before resolving back to do."
"The choir held the la a little longer than the rest of the phrase."
intj
1
An exclamation representing singing, or used to add emphasis, surprise, or drama to a statement.
""Oh la, what a mess!" she laughed."
"He hummed a tuneless la-la-la while he worked."
"La, what a surprise to see you here after all these years!"
How to use la
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly known as the musical syllable for the sixth note of the scale, or as a playful interjection.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like la.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- las
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She practised the scale slowly, singing do, re, mi, fa, sol, _____, ti, do.
Etymology
From the medieval solmization system devised by Guido of Arezzo, in which each note of the scale was named from a syllable in a Latin hymn.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “la” mean?
The word “la” means in solfège, the syllable used for the sixth note of a major scale. In plain terms, mostly known as the musical syllable for the sixth note of the scale, or as a playful interjection.
How do you pronounce “la”?
“La” is pronounced lah (/lɑː/ in IPA).
How do you use “la” in a sentence?
Here is “la” used in a sentence: “She practised the scale slowly, singing do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do.”
What part of speech is “la”?
Depending on how it is used, “la” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “la” come from?
The word “la” comes from Latin. From the medieval solmization system devised by Guido of Arezzo, in which each note of the scale was named from a syllable in a Latin hymn.
Is “la” a common word?
“La” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “la” have?
“La” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in solfège, the syllable used for the sixth note of a major scale.
What note is "la" in solfège?
"La" is the sixth note, or sixth degree, of a major scale in the solfège system. Going up the scale, the syllables run do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. In the key of C major, "la" corresponds to the note A. In music theory it is also called the submediant.
What is solfège?
Solfège is a method of teaching pitch and sight-singing by giving each note of the scale a syllable: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti. Singers use these syllables instead of letter names to learn melodies and intervals by ear. "La" is the sixth of these seven syllables.
What is the difference between "la" and the note A?
In fixed-do solfège, "la" always means the note A. In movable-do solfège, "la" is the sixth degree of whatever key you are in, so it shifts — in C major "la" is A, but in G major "la" is E. So "la" names a scale position, while A names a fixed pitch.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include la:
