elocution

1 of 2

noun (1)

el·​o·​cu·​tion ˌe-lə-ˈkyü-shən How to pronounce elocution (audio)
Synonyms of elocution
1
: a style of speaking especially in public
2
: the art of effective public speaking
elocutionary
ˌe-lə-ˈkyü-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce elocution (audio)
adjective
elocutionist
ˌe-lə-ˈkyü-sh(ə-)nist How to pronounce elocution (audio)
noun

elocutionist

2 of 2

noun (2)

el·​o·​cu·​tion·​ist -sh(ə)nə̇st How to pronounce elocutionist (audio)
plural -s
: a person adept in elocution: such as
a
: a teacher of elocution
b
: a professional reciter or reader

Synonyms of elocution

Relevance

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of elocution in a Sentence

Noun (1) He took lessons in elocution. the oft-told story that he practiced elocution by learning to speak with a mouth full of pebbles
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Players understanding the play calls filtered through his thick Southern elocution. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 July 2025 Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons. — Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023 At first, she was struck by Roosevelt's more recognizable voice, bearing the extreme elocution of a transatlantic accent. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 June 2024 The recordings also capture Bell’s family background in elocution (his father, grandfather, and brother all taught the subject). — IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2018 See All Example Sentences for elocution

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ellocucioun "oratorical or literary style," borrowed from Latin ēlocūtiōn-, ēlocūtiō "expression of an idea in words, manner of expressing oneself," from ēlocū-, variant stem of ēloquī "to utter, put into words" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at eloquent

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elocution was in the 15th century

Rhymes for elocution

See All Rhymes for elocution

Browse Nearby Words

elocute
elocution
elocutionary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elocution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elocution. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

elocution

noun
el·​o·​cu·​tion ˌel-ə-ˈkyü-shən How to pronounce elocution (audio)
1
: a style of speaking especially in public
2
: the art of effective public speaking
elocutionary
-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce elocution (audio)
adjective
elocutionist
-sh(ə-)nəst How to pronounce elocution (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elocution

Nglish: Translation of elocution for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elocution

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All