peroration
Americannoun
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a long speech characterized by lofty and often pompous language.
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Rhetoric. the concluding part of a speech or discourse, in which the speaker or writer recapitulates the principal points and urges them with greater earnestness and force.
noun
Other Word Forms
- perorational adjective
- perorative adjective
- peroratorical adjective
- peroratorically adverb
- peroratory noun
Etymology
Origin of peroration
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin perōrātiōn- (stem of perōrātiō ) the closing of a speech. See perorate, -ion
Explanation
If you attend a political convention, be prepared to hear a peroration — a long, lofty speech. If the speech really drags on, you might find yourself hoping for its peroration, as peroration can also refer to a speech's conclusion. Peroration comes from the Latin root orare, meaning "to speak." This ancestry places peroration in the same word family as oration, meaning "a formal speech," and perorate, meaning "to speak at length." A peroration is usually a step above your run-of-the-mill speech, or even a typical oration, as it involves an extended spoken spectacle filled with elaborate and persuasive language.
Vocabulary lists containing peroration
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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.
Before Churchill told the British in his celebrated peroration that "we shall never surrender," he had not spared them from the truth that they had suffered a "colossal military disaster".
From BBC • Aug. 14, 2025
Frank came to the stage with a detailed two-page peroration and zero intention of editing what he had to say.
From Salon • Sep. 20, 2021
Unable to resist a quotable peroration, Gorsuch saved the best for last.
From Slate • Apr. 29, 2021
I did not see Lillard’s peroration live on TV but a day later, on Twitter, where it played in heavy rotation, accompanied by sentiments like “class act” and “no better role model.”
From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2021
The point is that the peroration shapes the impression— intellectually, yes, but above all in terms of emotion or tone— with which the audience comes away from your speech.
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.
