public speaking

American  

noun

1. the act of delivering speeches in public.

2. the art or skill of addressing an audience effectively.

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public speaking British  

noun

1. the art or practice of making speeches to large audiences

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Other Word Forms

• public speaker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of public speaking

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

If you enjoy presenting, but are often assigned written reports, make it clear that one of your strengths is public speaking and that you’d like to do it more.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

They included common skills like public speaking and time management.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

"It is confusing because I've always been able to stand up and do that and go on stage, and things like public speaking have never worried me."

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

A friend in San Francisco had suffered a spinal cord injury and Nihill wanted to run a fundraiser, but dreaded public speaking.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

It was, after all, a job that promised to exercise my talent for public speaking, and if the pay was anything at all it would be more than I had now.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison