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 of speech

• lecture
• talk
• 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

In the nineteen-fifties, in a speech to the Royal Society of Arts in London, a member of the Chubb family argued that locks were a stand-in for what was good and bad about humankind. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Defense investment not ‘provocation’ China’s ⁠Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a ‌request for comment on Lai’s speech. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2026

Following his speech, the video of Parton played and the beloved icon appeared on screen, as brilliant as ever. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026

Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend. — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

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