Voice vs. Speech — What's the Difference?

A characteristic sound made by an animal.

The ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulating sounds.

The sound or tone produced by a person’s vocal cords when speaking or singing.

A formal address or discourse delivered to an audience.

A means of expressing personal emotion or mood through vocal sounds.

A manner of speaking, distinguished by accent, diction, or grammar.

An expressed opinion or choice.

The expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by spoken words.

The range or pitch of vocal sounds.

The communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words.

The sound produced by the vocal organs of a vertebrate, especially a human.

Speech is human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are the same word, e.g., "role" or "hotel"), and using those words in their semantic character as words in the lexicon of a language according to the syntactic constraints that govern lexical words' function in a sentence.

The ability to produce such sounds

The expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds

The mind as it produces verbal thoughts

A formal address or discourse delivered to an audience

A specified quality, condition, or pitch of vocal sound

The faculty or act of speaking.

(Linguistics) Expiration of air through vibrating vocal cords, used in the production of vowels and voiced consonants.

The faculty or act of expressing or describing thoughts, feelings, or perceptions by the articulation of words.

A sound resembling or reminiscent of vocal utterance

What is spoken or expressed, as in conversation; uttered or written words

Musical sound produced by vibration of the human vocal cords and resonated within the throat and head cavities.

A talk or public address, or a written copy of this

The quality or condition of a person's singing

The language or dialect of a nation or region

A singer

One's manner or style of speaking

One of the individual vocal or instrumental parts or strands in a composition

The study of oral communication, speech sounds, and vocal physiology.

Expression; utterance

(uncountable) The ability to speak; the faculty of uttering words or articulate sounds and vocalizations to communicate.

A medium or agency of expression

(uncountable) The act of speaking, a certain style of it.

The right or opportunity to express a choice or opinion

(countable) A formal session of speaking, especially a long oral message given publicly by one person.

(Grammar) A property of verbs or a set of verb inflections indicating the relation between the subject and the action expressed by the verb

(countable) A dialect, vernacular, or (dated) a language.

The distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or of a character in a book.

(uncountable) Language used orally, rather than in writing.

To give expression to; utter

(grammar) An utterance that is quoted; see direct speech, reported speech

(Linguistics) To pronounce with vibration of the vocal cords.

(uncountable) Public talk, news, gossip, rumour.

To provide (a composition) with voice parts.

To make a speech; to harangue.

To regulate the tone of (the pipes of an organ, for example).

The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking.

To provide the voice for (a cartoon character or show, for example)

He act of speaking; that which is spoken; words, as expressing ideas; language; conversation.

Sound uttered by the mouth, especially by human beings in speech or song; sound thus uttered considered as possessing some special quality or character

A particular language, as distinct from others; a tongue; a dialect.

(phonetics) Sound made through vibration of the vocal cords; sonant, or intonated, utterance; tone; — distinguished from mere breath sound as heard in whispering and voiceless consonants.

Talk; mention; common saying.

The tone or sound emitted by an object

Formal discourse in public; oration; harangue.

The faculty or power of utterance

Ny declaration of thoughts.

That which is communicated; message; meaning.

To make a speech; to harangue.

An expressed opinion, choice, will, desire, or wish; the right or ability to make such expression or to have it considered

The act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience;

(archaic) Command; precept.

(language) communication by word of mouth;

One who speaks; a speaker.

Something spoken;

(literature) A particular style or way of writing that expresses a certain tone or feeling.

The exchange of spoken words;

(grammar) A particular way of inflecting or conjugating verbs, or a particular form of a verb, by means of which is indicated the relation of the subject of the verb to the action which the verb expresses.

Your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally;

(music) In harmony, an independent vocal or instrumental part in a piece of composition.

A lengthy rebuke;

A flag associated with a user on a channel, determining whether or not they can send messages to the channel.

Words making up the dialogue of a play;

(transitive) To give utterance or expression to; to utter; to publish; to announce

The mental faculty or power of vocal communication;

To utter audibly, with tone and not just breath.

(transitive) To fit for producing the proper sounds; to regulate the tone of

To vote; to elect; to appoint

To clamor; to cry out

To assign the voice flag to a user on IRC, permitting them to send messages to the channel.

To act as a voice actor to portray a character.

Sound uttered by the mouth, especially that uttered by human beings in speech or song; sound thus uttered considered as possessing some special quality or character; as, the human voice; a pleasant voice; a low voice.

Sound of the kind or quality heard in speech or song in the consonants b, v, d, etc., and in the vowels; sonant, or intonated, utterance; tone; - distinguished from mere breath sound as heard in f, s, sh, etc., and also whisper.

The tone or sound emitted by anything.

The faculty or power of utterance; as, to cultivate the voice.

Language; words; speech; expression; signification of feeling or opinion.

Opinion or choice expressed; judgment; a vote.

Command; precept; - now chiefly used in scriptural language.

One who speaks; a speaker.

A particular mode of inflecting or conjugating verbs, or a particular form of a verb, by means of which is indicated the relation of the subject of the verb to the action which the verb expresses.

To give utterance or expression to; to utter; to publish; to announce; to divulge; as, to voice the sentiments of the nation.

To utter with sonant or vocal tone; to pronounce with a narrowed glottis and rapid vibrations of the vocal cords; to speak above a whisper.

To fit for producing the proper sounds; to regulate the tone of; as, to voice the pipes of an organ.

To vote; to elect; to appoint.

To clamor; to cry out.

The distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech;

The sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract;

A sound suggestive of a vocal utterance;

Expressing in coherent verbal form;

A means or agency by which something is expressed or communicated;

Something suggestive of speech in being a medium of expression;

(metonymy) a singer;

An advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose;

The ability to speak;

(linguistics) the grammatical relation (active or passive) of the grammatical subject of a verb to the action that the verb denotes

The melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music;

Give voice to;

Utter with vibrating vocal chords

Voice refers to the sound produced by the vocal cords, whereas speech is the act of forming these sounds into words to communicate.

Yes, an individual can have a melodious or strong voice but may struggle with articulating words clearly due to speech disorders or lack of language skills.

Professionals, such as singers and speakers, often undergo training to enhance their voice control and speech clarity to communicate effectively and perform better.

Voice disorders can affect the quality, pitch, and loudness of the voice, which in turn can make speech less clear or harder to understand.

Common voice disorders include nodules, polyps, and laryngitis. These conditions can lead to a hoarse voice, reduced vocal range, and difficulty in speaking clearly.

Speech therapy can be very effective for voice problems, especially when they affect speech clarity. It focuses on techniques to use the voice more efficiently and healthily.

Bilingualism can influence speech patterns, accent modulation, and sometimes the vocal qualities used in different languages, which may affect clarity and vocal endurance.

While the basic capability of voice is innate, its effective use and speech are skills developed through learning and practice.

Improving your voice involves practicing proper breathing techniques, vocal exercises, and possibly working with a voice coach to enhance vocal clarity and strength.

As people age, their voices may become weaker, rougher, and more breathy due to changes in the vocal cords and respiratory system.

Yes, there are various technologies, including speech synthesis devices and apps, voice amplifiers, and software designed for speech therapy, that assist individuals with speech or voice disorders.

Culture significantly influences speech, affecting the language, accent, speed, and even the non-verbal aspects of communication within a particular community.

Professionals such as singers, actors, and public speakers often train to use their voices in more controlled and dynamic ways to enhance performance and ensure vocal health.

Yes, emotions can significantly affect both voice and speech. Stress, anxiety, or happiness can alter the pitch, speed, and tone of your voice, impacting how you speak.

Exercises like tongue twisters, diaphragmatic breathing, and practicing controlled speech in different emotional tones can help develop clearer and more effective speech.