utterance

An utterance is a bit of spoken language. It could be anything from "Ugh!" to a full sentence.

To utter means "to say." So when you're saying something, you're making utterances. Saying "24" in math class is an utterance. A police officer yelling "Stop!" is an utterance. Saying "Good boy!" to your dog is an utterance. Even a long speech by the President is an utterance. If you can't hear it, it's not an utterance.

Definitions of utterance
  1. noun
    the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication
    synonyms: vocalization
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    types:
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    roll call
    calling out an official list of names
    call, cry, outcry, shout, vociferation, yell
    a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
    cry, yell
    a loud utterance of emotion (especially when inarticulate)
    croak, croaking
    a harsh hoarse utterance (as of a frog)
    exclaiming, exclamation
    an abrupt excited utterance
    expletive
    a word or phrase conveying no independent meaning but added to fill out a sentence or metrical line
    groan, moan
    an utterance expressing pain or disapproval
    ahem, hem
    the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat; intended to get attention, express hesitancy, fill a pause, hide embarrassment, warn a friend, etc.
    howl, howling, ululation
    a long loud emotional utterance
    laugh, laughter
    the sound of laughing
    mumble
    a soft indistinct utterance
    paging
    calling out the name of a person (especially by a loudspeaker system)
    profanity
    vulgar or irreverent speech or action
    pronunciation
    the manner in which someone utters a word
    exultation, jubilation, rejoicing
    the utterance of sounds expressing great joy
    sigh, suspiration
    an utterance made by exhaling audibly
    snarl
    a vicious angry growl
    speaking, speech production
    the utterance of intelligible speech
    speech
    something spoken
    splutter, sputter
    an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)
    rasp, rasping
    uttering in an irritated tone
    growling
    a gruff or angry utterance (suggestive of the growling of an animal)
    mail call
    a call of names of those receiving mail
    muster call
    a call of the names of personnel at a military assembly
    attendance check
    a call of students' names in a classroom
    speech
    the exchange of spoken words
    bellow, bellowing, holla, holler, hollering, hollo, holloa, roar, roaring, yowl
    a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
    blue murder
    an extravagantly loud outcry
    catcall
    a cry expressing disapproval
    clamor, clamoring, clamour, clamouring, hue and cry
    loud and persistent outcry from many people
    halloo
    a shout to attract attention
    hoot
    a loud raucous cry (as of an owl)
    hosanna
    a cry of praise or adoration (to God)
    noise
    a loud outcry of protest or complaint
    scream, screaming, screech, screeching, shriek, shrieking
    sharp piercing cry
    whoop
    a loud hooting cry of exultation or excitement
    battle cry, rallying cry, war cry, war whoop
    a yell intended to rally a group of soldiers in battle
    shouting, yelling
    uttering a loud inarticulate cry as of pain or excitement
    yodel
    a songlike cry in which the voice fluctuates rapidly between the normal voice and falsetto
    Bronx cheer, bird, boo, hiss, hoot, raspberry, razz, razzing, snort
    a cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt
    blasphemy
    blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)
    dirty word, filth, obscenity, smut, vulgarism
    an offensive or indecent word or phrase
    curse, curse word, cuss, expletive, oath, swearing, swearword
    profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
    deuce, devil, dickens
    a word used in exclamations of confusion
    ejaculation, interjection
    an abrupt emphatic exclamation expressing emotion
    expostulation
    an exclamation of protest or remonstrance or reproof
    cachinnation
    loud convulsive laughter
    cackle
    a loud laugh suggestive of a hen's cackle
    chortle, chuckle
    a soft partly suppressed laugh
    giggle
    a foolish or nervous laugh
    belly laugh, guffaw
    a burst of deep loud hearty laughter
    ha-ha, haw-haw, hee-haw, horselaugh
    a loud laugh that sounds like a horse neighing
    snicker, snigger, snort
    a disrespectful laugh
    titter
    a nervous restrained laugh
    assibilation, sibilation
    pronunciation with a sibilant (hissing or whistling) sound
    susurration, voicelessness, whisper, whispering
    speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
    mispronunciation
    incorrect pronunciation
    homophony
    the same pronunciation for words of different origins
    accent, speech pattern
    distinctive manner of oral expression
    articulation
    the aspect of pronunciation that involves bringing articulatory organs together so as to shape the sounds of speech
    complaint
    (formerly) a loud cry (or repeated cries) of pain or rage or sorrow
    type of:
    auditory communication
    communication that relies on hearing
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