Word of the Day

: January 7, 2022

voluble

adjective VAHL-yuh-bul

What It Means

Voluble means "characterized by ready or rapid speech."

// During the public forum, the town's more voluble residents expressed their displeasure with the council's decision to increase property taxes.

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voluble in Context

"[Erich Jarvis] hypothesized that the most vocal animals are typically the ones that have to worry less about predators. Interestingly, he noticed that especially voluble vocal learners 'tend to be near the top of the food chain—like humans, whales, and dolphins or elephants.'" — Emma Bryce, Live Science, 2 July 2021

Did You Know?

Voluble traces back to Latin volvere, meaning "to set in a circular course" or "to cause to roll." English rolled with that meaning, using voluble as an adjective to describe things easily rolling, changing, or turning, and later added the meaning of Latin volūbilis, which implies readily flowing speech. Today, voluble most often describes an individual who speaks easily and often.