fluent

American  

[floo-uhnt] / ˈflu ənt /

adjective

1. spoken or written with ease.

   fluent French.

2. able to speak or write smoothly, easily, or readily.

   a fluent speaker;

   fluent in six languages.

3. easy; graceful.

   fluent motion;

   fluent curves.

4. flowing, as a stream.

5. capable of flowing; fluid, as liquids or gases.

6. easily changed or adapted; pliant.

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fluent British  

/ ˈfluːənt /

adjective

1. able to speak or write a specified foreign language with facility

2. spoken or written with facility

   his French is fluent

3. easy and graceful in motion or shape

4. flowing or able to flow freely

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Related Words

Fluent, glib, voluble may refer to a flow of words. Fluent suggests the easy and ready flow of an accomplished speaker and is usually a term of commendation: a fluent and interesting speech. Glib implies an excessive fluency divorced from sincerity or profundity; it often suggests talking smoothly and hurriedly to cover up or deceive, not giving the hearer a chance to stop and think; it may also imply a plausible, prepared, and well-rehearsed lie: He had a glib answer for everything. Voluble implies the overcopious and often rapid flow of words characteristic of a person who loves to talk: She overwhelmed him with her voluble answer. See also eloquent.

Other Word Forms

• fluency noun
• fluently adverb
• fluentness noun
• nonfluency noun
• nonfluent adjective
• nonfluentness noun
• overfluency noun
• overfluent adjective
• overfluentness noun
• transfluent adjective
• unfluent adjective

Etymology

Origin of fluent

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin fluent- (stem of fluēns ) “flowing,” present participle of fluere; -ent

Example Sentences

Newson is more fluent in the ecosphere of social media, podcasts and the like.

From Los Angeles Times

With her increasingly fluent English and photography skills, Mrie finally seeks refuge in the United States — and addresses the behavioral fallout of her harrowing history.

From Los Angeles Times

She is also fluent in Mandarin, and as a child would spend summers in Beijing.

From BBC

Weiss built her brand at The Free Press as a contrarian voice fluent in the grievances of people who believe mainstream media has become too liberal.

From Salon

As it happens, he didn’t have to be fluent in his new tongue to discuss the medal he won on Monday.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• eloquent
• persuasive
• talkative
• vocal