lecture
Americannoun
-
lectures
plural
verb (used without object)
-
lectures,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lectured,
past participle, past
-
lecturing
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
lectures,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lectured,
past participle, past
-
lecturing
present participle
noun
-
a discourse on a particular subject given or read to an audience
-
the text of such a discourse
-
a method of teaching by formal discourse
-
a lengthy reprimand or scolding
verb
-
to give or read a lecture (to an audience or class)
-
(tr) to reprimand at length
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
lecturesimple
-
lecturessimple
-
have lecturedperfect
-
has lecturedperfect
-
am lecturingprogressive
-
are lecturingprogressive
-
is lecturingprogressive
-
have been lecturingperfect progressive
-
has been lecturingperfect progressive
Past
-
lecturedsimple
-
had lecturedperfect
-
was lecturingprogressive
-
were lecturingprogressive
-
had been lecturingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lecture
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin lēctūra “a reading”; see lection, -ure
Explanation
When your teacher stands up in front of you and teaches by talking about the latest chapter you've read or explaining how to do a new math problem - he is giving a lecture. A lecture is most often used to describe a method of teaching, particularly popular in college, where professors give organized talks as lessons to large groups of students. It is not quite as positive when children level the term at their parents — "Don't lecture me!" — for criticizing their clothes, their friends or their music. Lecture can also be used to describe any public talk, most often by an expert.
Vocabulary lists containing lecture
The Vocabulary of College
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"The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
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Guts
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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.
See Examples For:
This space has been traversed for nearly four months by Jared Kushner, whom I first met about 18 months ago, when he introduced himself after a foreign policy lecture I had given.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
The BBC joined Cole in May for her first lecture in which every student was aware of her Tourette's.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Other than the storybooks and other signs of K-12 clientele, the facilities wouldn’t be out of place at a nice university, and that includes the sloping lecture hall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
“Do it in the right way – it’s not a science lecture on global warming, it’s a story about how clean energy can reduce your bills.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
I don’t actually know what she’s saying because she’s talking in Spanish, but I can tell by her tone, and by Isabella’s face, that it’s definitely a lecture.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
The idea of meeting lots of new people for the first time since starting secondary school was nerve-racking he says, but Isaak made friends by talking to people he met at lectures and seminars.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
"We can better focus on the lessons and lectures; there are no more interruptions due to calls," said Yousufzai.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The retreat included daily lectures, approximately 33 hours of guided meditation, and group healing practices.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
She had married Günther Stern, a fellow student of philosophy, in 1929; as their relationship was ending in 1936, she met Blücher at one of her Paris lectures on antisemitism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The next morning the old man has the two hauled up and lectures and jaws at them so long that in the end they consent.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
“Their song has a very pro-European message,” said Vuletic, who has lectured widely on the contest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
“In case anyone is like, ‘I don’t want to be lectured at,’ or I don’t want to do all this work, it feels like you’re just having fun with friends,” Lim says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
Badenoch was born in London but spent much of her childhood in Nigeria, as well as the United States, where her mother lectured.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
She was also officer of several technical societies and lectured on technical analysis around the world.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 17, 2025
For more than an hour, Minister Lemuel lectured about Elijah Muhammad’s teachings.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Like many advisers, DeLarme understands that lecturing about the risks of stock picking can fall flat.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Both the Pentagon and the Vatican denied a report, published in the Free Press last week, that the meeting was tense, with Colby lecturing the cardinal on U.S. military power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
She said she will "play it by ear" when it comes to lecturing in the coming years.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026
There’s the diner scene in which Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are on screen together for the first time, lecturing each about how “you can’t change me.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
Whenever Grandmother started lecturing him about his ancestors—how they’d come over from China and prospered in the import/export business, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest Chinese families in Vancouver—well, it was boring.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
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.
