a cappella
adverb or adjective
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A Cappella Has Italian Roots
A cappella arrived in English in the 18th century via the Italian phrase a cappella, meaning "in chapel or choir style." (Medieval Latin capella, meaning "chapel," is the source of English chapel.) The a cappella style reached preeminence in the late 16th century in the music that composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina wrote for the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican. Because no independent instrumental parts were written down, scholars once thought that the choir sang unaccompanied, but current evidence makes clear that an organ or other instruments doubled some or several of the vocal parts. Regardless, today a cappella describes a purely vocal performance.
Examples of a cappella in a Sentence
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025
That’s because Erivo is given to extended a cappella trills, especially at the beginning or ending of a song, that are at least as magical as anything that is formally happening with the full ensemble.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 2 Dec. 2025
In addition to showcasing their four-part a cappella harmonies and goofy sense of humor, the guys will perform some songs backed by a live band.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 27 Nov. 2025
Her spoken word offers high-energy delivery and emotional depth that is sometimes performed a cappella and at times, over an instrumental beat.
—Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for a cappella
Cite this Entry
“A cappella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20cappella. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
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a cappella
adverb or adjectivefrom Italian a cappella "in chapel style"
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