speech
Other forms: speeches
When you say something out loud, that's speech. When you give a speech, you say a lot of things in front of a group. Maybe you should open with a joke?
The ability to produce and understand speech in complex ways has long been considered part of what separates humans from other animals. "Freedom of speech" is the right to express your thoughts and opinions publicly. Adjectives, nouns and verbs are "parts of speech." By the way: speech is a noun.
Definitions of speech
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(language) communication by word of mouth“his speech was garbled”
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synonyms:
language, oral communication, speech communication, spoken communication, spoken language, voice communication
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types:
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words
the words that are spoken
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orthoepy, pronunciation
the way a word or a language is customarily spoken
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conversation
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
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discussion, give-and-take, word
an exchange of views on some topic
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expression, locution, saying
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
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non-standard speech
speech that differs from the usual accepted, easily recognizable speech of native adult members of a speech community
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idiolect
the language or speech of one individual at a particular period in life
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monologue
a long utterance by one person (especially one that prevents others from participating in the conversation)
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charm, magic spell, magical spell, spell
a verbal formula believed to have magical force
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dictation
speech intended for reproduction in writing
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monologue, soliloquy
speech you make to yourself
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Beatitude
one of the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount; in Latin each saying begins with `beatus' (blessed)
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logion
a saying of Jesus that is regarded as authentic although it is not recorded in the Gospels
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calque, calque formation, loan translation
an expression introduced into one language by translating it from another language
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advice and consent
a legal expression in the United States Constitution that allows the Senate to constrain the President's powers of appointment and treaty-making
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ambiguity
an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context
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euphemism
an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
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dysphemism
an offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive one
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shucks
an expression of disappointment or irritation
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Received Pronunciation
the approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting
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tongue twister
an expression that is difficult to articulate clearly
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crossfire
a lively or heated interchange of ideas and opinions
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phatic communication, phatic speech
conversational speech used to communicate sociability more than information
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exchange
a mutual expression of views (especially an unpleasant one)
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chat, confab, confabulation, schmoose, schmooze
an informal conversation
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gossiping, gossipmongering
a conversation that spreads personal information about other people
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talk, talking
an exchange of ideas via conversation
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nothings
inconsequential conversation
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commerce
social exchange, especially of opinions, attitudes, etc.
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colloquy
formal conversation
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argument, argumentation, debate
a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal
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rap
voluble conversation
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rap session
conversation in a situation where feelings can be expressed and criticized or supported
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second-hand speech
overheard conversation (especially overheard cellphone conversation)
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table talk
conversation during a meal
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telephone conversation
a conversation over the telephone
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tete-a-tete
a private conversation between two people
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deliberation
(usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question
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conference, group discussion
a discussion among participants who have an agreed (serious) topic
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panel discussion
discussion of a subject of public interest by a group of persons forming a panel usually before an audience
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post-mortem, postmortem
discussion of an event after it has occurred
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public discussion, ventilation
free and open discussion of (or debate on) some question of public interest
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dialogue, negotiation, talks
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
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anatomical, anatomical reference
an expression that relates to anatomy
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southernism
a locution or pronunciation peculiar to the southern United States
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catchword, motto, shibboleth, slogan
a favorite saying of a sect or political group
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axiom, maxim
a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
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epigram, quip
a witty saying
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adage, byword, proverb, saw
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
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idiom, idiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, phrase, set phrase
an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up
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agrapha
sayings of Jesus not recorded in the canonical Gospels
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sumpsimus
a correct expression that takes the place of a popular but incorrect expression
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baby talk, babytalk
the developing speech of a young child
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baby talk, babytalk, motherese
an adult's imitation of the speech of a young child
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accent, dialect, idiom
the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
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localism
a phrase or pronunciation that is peculiar to a particular locality
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regionalism
a feature (as a pronunciation or expression or custom) that is characteristic of a particular region
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telegraphese
language characterized by terseness and ellipsis as in telegrams
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vernacular
the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language)
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argot, cant, jargon, lingo, patois, slang, vernacular
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
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slang, slang expression, slang term
informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; often vituperative or vulgar
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conjuration, incantation
a ritual recitation of words or sounds believed to have a magical effect
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curse, hex, jinx, whammy
an evil spell
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type of:
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auditory communication
communication that relies on hearing
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the exchange of spoken words“they were perfectly comfortable together without speech”
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type of:
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speaking, speech production
the utterance of intelligible speech
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speaking, speech production
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a lengthy rebuke
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synonyms:
lecture, talking to
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types:
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preaching, sermon
a moralistic rebuke
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curtain lecture
a private lecture to a husband by his wife
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type of:
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rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval
an act or expression of criticism and censure
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preaching, sermon
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something spoken“he could hear them uttering merry speeches”
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type of:
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utterance, vocalization
the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication
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utterance, vocalization
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the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
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synonyms:
address
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examples:
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Gettysburg Address
a three-minute address by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War at the dedication of a national cemetery on the site of the Battle of Gettysburg (November 19, 1863)
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types:
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allocution
(rhetoric) a formal or authoritative address that advises or exhorts
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colloquium
an address to an academic meeting or seminar
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dithyramb
a wildly enthusiastic speech or piece of writing
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impromptu
an extemporaneous speech or remark
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inaugural, inaugural address
an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president)
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lecture, public lecture, talk
a speech that is open to the public
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litany
any long and tedious address or recital
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oratory
addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous)
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oral presentation, public speaking, speaking, speechmaking
delivering an address to a public audience
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discourse, preaching, sermon
an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
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reading, recital, recitation
a public instance of reciting or repeating (from memory) something prepared in advance
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keynote address, keynote speech
a speech setting forth the keynote
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nominating address, nominating speech, nomination
an address (usually at a political convention) proposing the name of a candidate to run for election
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oration
an instance of oratory
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debate, disputation, public debate
the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)
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declamation
vehement oratory
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epideictic oratory
a type of oratory used to eulogize or condemn a person or group of people
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stump speech
political oratory
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salutatory, salutatory address, salutatory oration
an opening or welcoming statement (especially one delivered at graduation exercises)
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valediction, valedictory, valedictory address, valedictory oration
a farewell oration (especially one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class)
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baccalaureate
a farewell sermon to a graduating class at their commencement ceremonies
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kerugma, kerygma
preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church
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evangelism
zealous preaching and advocacy of the gospel
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homily, preachment
a sermon on a moral or religious topic
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type of:
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speech act
the use of language to perform some act
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Gettysburg Address
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words making up the dialogue of a play“the actor forgot his speech”
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synonyms:
actor's line, words
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types:
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aside
a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage
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cue
an actor's line that immediately precedes and serves as a reminder for some action or speech
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monologue
a (usually long) dramatic speech by a single actor
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soliloquy
a (usually long) dramatic speech intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections
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throwaway
words spoken in a casual way with conscious under-emphasis
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prompt, prompting
a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the next line to be spoken)
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type of:
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line
text consisting of a row of words written across a page or computer screen
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your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally“her speech was barren of southernisms”“I detected a slight accent in his speech”
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synonyms:
delivery, manner of speaking
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types:
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address
the manner of speaking to another individual
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catch
a break or check in the voice (usually a sign of strong emotion)
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tongue
a manner of speaking
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shibboleth
a manner of speaking that is distinctive of a particular group of people
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tone, tone of voice
the quality of a person's voice
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elocution
an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture
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inflection, prosody
the patterns of stress and intonation in a language
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inflection, modulation
a manner of speaking in which the loudness or pitch or tone of the voice is modified
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sharp tongue
a bitter or critical manner of speaking
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note
a tone of voice that shows what the speaker is feeling
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rotundity, roundness
the fullness of a tone of voice
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undertone
a quiet or hushed tone of voice
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cadence, intonation, modulation, pitch contour
rise and fall of the voice pitch
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caesura
a break or pause (usually for sense) in the middle of a verse line
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enjambement, enjambment
the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause
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accent, emphasis, stress
the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)
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rhythm, speech rhythm
the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements
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type of:
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expressive style, style
a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period
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the mental faculty or power of vocal communication
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synonyms:
language
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type of:
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faculty, mental faculty, module
one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
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faculty, mental faculty, module
Pronunciation
US
/spitʃ/
UK
/spitʃ/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘speech'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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