voice

The word “voice” means the sound a person produces when speaking or singing. In plain terms, the sound someone makes when speaking, or, more broadly, someone's right to express an opinion.

“Voice” is pronounced voys (/vɔɪs/ in IPA).

Here is “voice” used in a sentence: “Her voice was so soft he had to lean in to hear her.”

Depending on how it is used, “voice” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “voice” comes from Latin. From Old French voiz, from Latin vox ("voice"), from a very old root meaning "to speak" — the same root gives us "vocal" and "advocate.".

“Voice” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Voice” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the sound a person produces when speaking or singing.

Voice is the actual sound your vocal cords produce, the raw tone you hear when someone speaks, sings, or hums. Speech is the use of that voice to form words and language. You can have a voice without speech, such as humming, but speech normally relies on the voice to be heard aloud.

Yes. Singers, actors, and public speakers train their voices to improve pitch, projection, control, and stamina. Vocal coaches teach breathing, warm-ups, and technique to strengthen the voice and prevent strain. While the basic sound is shaped by your body, regular practice can noticeably widen your range and improve clarity and tone.

When you speak, you hear your voice both through the air and through the bones of your skull, which add lower, richer tones. A recording captures only the sound travelling through the air, so it sounds higher and thinner to you. Everyone else always hears your recorded voice, which is your true sound.

Singing voices are usually grouped by range. The main female types are soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto, from highest to lowest. The main male types are tenor, baritone, and bass. These categories describe the comfortable pitch range and tone of a singer's voice, helping composers assign suitable parts to each performer.