Definition of eloquent
eloquently
adverbFrom the M-W Editors
eloquent was our Word of the Day on 01/18/2016. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of eloquent in a Sentence
He [H. L. Mencken] relished the vagaries of vernacular speech and paid eloquent homage to them in The American Language. —Jackson Lears, New Republic, 27 Jan. 2003
Samuel Johnson is palmed off in classrooms as a harmless drudge of a lexicographer, yet open the Dictionary anywhere and find precision and eloquent plainness. —Guy Davenport, The Geography of the Imagination, (1954) 1981
There was a burst of applause, and a deep silence which was even more eloquent than the applause. —Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge, 1886
His success serves as an eloquent reminder of the value of hard work.
an eloquent writer and speaker, Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the founders of the women's rights movement
Recent Examples of eloquent from the Web
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Kim gave an eloquent interpretation of a work that deserves more exposure.
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Her effervescent spirit and pioneering leadership of the LGBT movement is illuminated with an eloquent force by director David France and is a true testament to the power of documentary films.
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In addition, the many graceful epitaphs are reminders of a more eloquent and devout age.
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Longtime Sports Illustrated writer John Garrity, an eloquent and absorbing writer in his own right, consciously admired others more but never consciously emulated anyone else.
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Trump’s speech was entirely appropriate and occasionally eloquent.
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More than any other Southern politician, Landrieu has expressed this reckoning with the Civil War’s legacy in a newly eloquent honesty.
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In this eloquent performance, the concerto’s subtleties were its selling points.
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In contrast to the operatic landscapes of his contemporary, Joseph Mallord William Turner, Constable’s painting is eloquent chamber music, grounded in nature and enlivened by his grass-green palette and airy, sketchlike technique.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eloquent'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Since "eloquent" can have to do with speaking, it makes sense that it comes from the Latin verb loqui, which means "to speak." "Loqui" is the parent of many "talkative" offspring in English. "Loquacious," which means "given to fluent or excessive talk," also arose from "loqui." Another "loqui" relative is "circumlocution," a word that means someone is talking around a subject to avoid making a direct statement (circum- means "around"). And a "ventriloquist" is someone who makes his or her voice sound like it’s coming from another source.
Origin and Etymology of eloquent
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin eloquent-, eloquens, from present participle of eloqui to speak out, from e- + loqui to speak
First Known Use: 14th century
ELOQUENT Defined for English Language Learners
eloquent
playDefinition of eloquent for English Language Learners
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: having or showing the ability to use language clearly and effectively
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: clearly showing feeling or meaning
ELOQUENT Defined for Kids
eloquent
playDefinition of eloquent for Students
1 : having or showing clear and forceful expression an eloquent speaker an eloquent plan
2 : clearly showing some feeling or meaning an eloquent look
eloquently
adverbWord Root of eloquent
The Latin word loquī, meaning “to talk” or “to speak,” and its form locūtus give us the roots locu and loqu. Words from the Latin loquī have something to do with talking. An eloquent speaker speaks clearly and well. Elocution is the art of speaking or reading well in public. A ventriloquist is a person who speaks so that the voice seems to come from elsewhere.
Learn More about eloquent
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for eloquent Spanish Central: Translation of eloquent Nglish: Translation of eloquent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of eloquent for Arabic speakers
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