speech

noun

ˈspēch 

1

a

: the communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words

b

: exchange of spoken words : conversation

2

a

: something that is spoken : utterance

b

: a usually public discourse : address

3

a

: language, dialect

b

: an individual manner or style of speaking

4

: the power of expressing or communicating thoughts by speaking

Synonyms

• talk
• lecture
• address
• oration
• sermon
• presentation
• monologue
• declamation
• peroration

Examples of speech in a Sentence

She has to make a speech at the convention.

a graduation speech about embracing future challenges

I was so flustered that I momentarily lost the power of speech.

Slang is used mostly in informal speech.

Many words are more common in speech than in writing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Infantino used his speech in Rome to praise the success of the Club World Cup, a view shared by the bosses of the clubs that participated this summer. —Matt Slater, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

For some people, activism looks like funding drives, serious speeches, and heartfelt appeals to people’s sensibilities. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025

The hearing aids make more than 80 million automatic adjustments per hour to ensure maximum sound quality and speech clarity, Dave Fabry, Starkey’s chief hearing health officer, told Fortune. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

Tickets to attend the event in the ballroom where speeches will take place start at $300. —Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English speche, from Old English sprǣc, spǣc; akin to Old English sprecan to speak — more at speak

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing speech

• acceptance speech
• figure of speech
• freedom of speech
• free speech
• hate speech
• part of speech
• polite speech
• speech community
• speech day
• speech form
• speech impediment
• speech therapy
• stump speech
• visible speech

Rhymes for speech

• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breach
• breech
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech
• meech
• peach
• preach

Kids Definition

speech

noun

ˈspēch 

1

: the communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words

2

a

: something that is spoken

b

: a public talk

3

: a form of communication (as a language or dialect) used by a particular group

4

: the power of expressing or communicating thoughts by speaking

Medical Definition

speech

noun

ˈspēch 

: the communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words

Legal Definition

speech

noun

: words or conduct used to communicate or express a thought : expression see also commercial speech, freedom of speech, free speech, obscene, symbolic speech