eloquence
Americannoun
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the practice or art of using language with fluency and aptness.
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eloquent language or discourse.
a flow of eloquence.
noun
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ease in using language to best effect
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powerful and effective language
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the quality of being persuasive or moving
Other Word Forms
- noneloquence noun
- supereloquence noun
Etymology
Origin of eloquence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ēloquentia, from ēloquent-, stem of ēloquēns “speaking out” ( eloquent ) + -ia -y 3; -ence
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not even the creature’s eloquence moves Victor to self-reflection: “O Frankenstein, be not equitable to every other, and trample upon me alone, to whom thy justice, and even thy clemency and affection, is most due.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026
There were three main speakers that night: Chaudhry Khaliquz-zaman spoke for India's Muslims, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher, for his eloquence and vision, and Nehru - the star of the evening.
From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025
My euphoria stemmed as much from the mandarin eloquence of the characters as from the unanticipated magic that can happen when a playwright finds his community of actors.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2025
They were glory days for players who respectively epitomise elegance and eloquence.
From BBC • May 29, 2025
Shakespeare frequently uses violations of decorum for comic effect, as witness Bottom’s muddled attempts at eloquence, Pistol’s braggadocio, and Polonius’s foolish high-sounding waffle.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
