speech
[ speech ]
/ spitʃ /
noun
Origin of speech
before 900; Middle English
speche, Old English
spǣc, variant of
sprǣc, derivative of
sprecan to
speak; cognate with German
Sprache
SYNONYMS FOR speech
1
parlance,
parley,
conversation,
communication.
Speech,
language refer to the means of communication used by people.
Speech is the expression of ideas and thoughts by means of articulate vocal sounds, or the faculty of thus expressing ideas and thoughts.
Language is a set of conventional signs, not necessarily articulate or even vocal (any set of signs, signals, or symbols that convey meaning, including written words, may be called language):
a spoken language. Thus,
language is the set of conventions, and
speech is the action of putting these to use:
He couldn't understand the speech of the natives because it was in a foreign language.
3 observation, assertion, asseveration, comment, mention, talk.
4 talk, discourse.
Speech,
address,
oration,
harangue are terms for a communication to an audience.
Speech is the general word, with no implication of kind or length, or whether planned or not. An
address is a rather formal, planned speech, appropriate to a particular subject or occasion. An
oration is a polished, rhetorical address, given usually on a notable occasion, that employs eloquence and studied methods of delivery. A
harangue is a violent, informal speech, often addressed to a casually assembled audience, and intended to arouse strong feeling (sometimes to lead to mob action).
6 tongue, patois.
OTHER WORDS FROM speech
self-speech, nounWords nearby speech
Example sentences from the Web for speech
British Dictionary definitions for speech
speech
/ (spiːtʃ) /
noun
- the act or faculty of speaking, esp as possessed by personsto have speech with somebody
- (as modifier)speech therapy
that which is spoken; utterance
a talk or address delivered to an audience
a person's characteristic manner of speaking
a national or regional language or dialect
linguistics another word for parole (def. 5)
Word Origin for speech
Old English
spēc; related to
specan to
speak
Medical definitions for speech
speech
[ spēch ]
n.
The faculty or act of expressing thoughts, feelings, or perceptions by the articulation of words.
Vocal communication; conversation.