eloquent
EL-uh-kwunt
/ˈɛl.ə.kwənt/
Fluent, persuasive, and expressive in speaking or writing.
Emphasizes grace, beauty, emotional resonance, and masterful phrasing.
The story behind the word. Eloquent comes from Latin 'eloqui', combining 'ex-' (out) and 'loqui' (to speak). It describes speech that literally 'out-speaks' or pours out effortlessly with striking force and beauty.
Word relationships
- articulate: Articulate stresses clarity and precise structure; eloquent stresses emotional resonance and poetic grace.
- inarticulate: Unable to express oneself clearly or fluently.
Commonly confused with
- loquacious: Loquacious simply means talkative; eloquent means speaking beautifully and movingly.
Word family
- eloquence (noun): Fluent, expressive, and persuasive speech or writing.
- eloquently (adverb): In an expressive and persuasive manner.
Collocations
- eloquent speech
- eloquent defense
- eloquent advocate
- eloquent silence
Example sentences
- "Dr. King’s eloquent speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial stirred the conscience of the entire nation." Civil rights speech
- "The defense attorney delivered an eloquent closing argument that moved two jurors to tears." Courtroom trial
Memory hook
ELEGANT words pour out effortlessly when someone is ELOQUENT. Graceful, expressive speech.
When not to use
Do not use to describe raw statistics or dry data tables unless referring to how artfully they are presented.
Fun facts
- The root 'loqui' is behind 'soliloquy' (speaking alone), 'colloquial' (speaking together), and 'ventriloquist' (belly-speaker).
Related words
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.