rhetoric
English
Alternative forms
- rhetorick (obsolete)
Etymology 1
From Middle English rethorik, from Latin rēthoricus, rhētoricus, from Ancient Greek ῥητορῐκός (rhētorikós).
Pronunciation
Adjective
rhetoric
- Synonym of rhetorical.
Etymology 2
From Middle English rethorik, rhetoric, from Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhētorica, from Ancient Greek ῥητορική (rhētorikḗ), ellipsis of ῥητορικὴ τέχνη (rhētorikḕ tékhnē), from ῥητορικός (rhētorikós, “concerning public speech”), from ῥήτωρ (rhḗtōr, “public speaker”).
Pronunciation
Noun
rhetoric (countable and uncountable, plural rhetorics)
- The art of using language, especially public speaking, as a means to persuade.
- Meaningless language with an exaggerated style intended to impress.
- It’s only so much rhetoric.
Usage notes
- Adjectives often applied to "rhetoric":
- (by kind or area of application) political, legal, visual, classical, ancient
- (by quality) violent, empty, inflammatory, hateful, heated, fiery, vitriolic, angry, overheated, extreme
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
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Translations
art of using language for persuasion
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meaningless language
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See also
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *werh₁-
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms derived from Old French
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English heteronyms
- en:Rhetoric