loquacious

adjective

lo·qua·cious lō-ˈkwā-shəs

Synonyms of loquacious next

: full of excessive talk : wordy

: given to fluent or excessive talk : garrulous

loquaciously adverb

loquaciousness noun

Did you know?

Speaking About the Meaning of Loquacious

Loquacious undeniably has a certain poetic ring. It’s been a favorite of the writerly sort since it made its first appearance in English in the 17th century and, with poetic license, writers stretched its meaning beyond “talkative,” and especially “excessively talkative,” to describe such things as the chattering of birds and the babbling of brooks. The ultimate source of all this chattiness is loquī, a Latin verb meaning “to talk, speak.” Other words descended from loquī include colloquial, eloquent, soliloquy, and ventriloquism.

Choose the Right Synonym for loquacious

talkative, loquacious, garrulous, voluble mean given to talk or talking.

talkative may imply a readiness to engage in talk or a disposition to enjoy conversation.

a talkative neighbor

loquacious suggests the power of expressing oneself articulately, fluently, or glibly.

a loquacious spokesperson

garrulous implies prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity.

garrulous traveling companions

voluble suggests a free, easy, and unending loquacity.

a voluble raconteur

Examples of loquacious in a Sentence

… long-cultivated dislikes and resentments, combined with a general expectation of coming apocalypse. He talked about these topics in a manner that managed to be tight-lipped and loquacious at the same time. —

Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 22 & 29 Dec. 2003

… the flaw of the genre is not in betraying the loquacious John Williams and the chatty Father Foucquet, but in failing to schedule an interview with the reticent Eunice Williams and the tongue-tied John Hu. —

Jill Lepore, Journal of American History, June 2001

With a wonderful memory for detail, this talkative woman—who my father said never forgets anything—became truly loquacious. —

Joseph A. Amato, Dust, 2000

a loquacious and glib politician the loquacious host of a radio talk show

Recent Examples on the Web Until his death at age 70 in 1972, Berg, the loquacious baseball player from New Jersey who became the subject of international intrigue, remained his own man. —

Zachary Clary, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023 John Kuntz delivers an amusing turn as the drunken and loquacious gate-keeper to the Macbeths’ castle, a bit of comic relief in a play that is not exactly overflowing with levity. —

Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2023 The normally loquacious Mayor Lombardi walked meekly at his side, here only to guide a hero through an adoring crowd. —

Amanda Milkovits, BostonGlobe.com, 20 June 2023 Greenaway describes Luper as a combination of Cage, the loquacious Buckminster Fuller, Greenaway’s father (who was an amateur ornithologist) and the famed cinematographer on many of Greenaway’s features, Sacha Vierny. —

Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2022 Words may be spilling out of you as loquacious Mercury visits your sign, but its tough square to Saturn in your 10th House of Reputation will require you to keep your words clear and concise. —

Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2023 And one of the more approachable, pleasant and loquacious players in the NBA has to figure out how to get his swagger back. —

Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2023 Print Few people would have predicted that a loquacious drama about a woman foreign service professional would have been Netflix’s next big hit. —

Karrin Vasby Anderson, The Conversation, 11 May 2023 Not feeling as loquacious as usual at a planning meeting? —

Don Yaeger, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loquacious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin loquāc-, loquāx "talkative, verbose" (from loquī "to talk, speak" + -āc-, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance) + -ious — more at eloquent, audacious

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of loquacious was in 1634

See more words from the same year