recitation

American  

[res-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌrɛs ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an act of reciting.

2. a reciting or repeating of something from memory, especially formally or publicly.

3. oral response by a pupil or pupils to a teacher on a prepared lesson.

4. a period of classroom instruction.

5. an elocutionary delivery of a piece of poetry or prose, without the text, before an audience.

6. a piece so delivered or for such delivery.

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recitation British  

/ ˌrɛsɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of reciting from memory, or a formal reading of verse before an audience

2. something recited

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Other Word Forms

• nonrecitation noun

Etymology

Origin of recitation

1475–85; < Latin recitātiōn- (stem of recitātiō ), equivalent to recitāt ( us ) (past participle of recitāre to recite ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

As the recitation trailed off, she awoke fully, and began sobbing.

From Literature

I led everyone gathered in the auditorium in a rousing recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

From The Wall Street Journal

She could play chess, divide fractions, write in cursive, and do a strong-voiced recitation of at least three different Shakespearean sonnets.

From Literature

At Paul Revere Junior High, Russell won first place at a Shakespeare Festival for his sonnet recitation.

From Los Angeles Times

On the outside, it seems like it’s a quiet, calm ballad as it opens; Ellis on guitar, a recitation of the story of "a girl who’s got no history / got no past."

From Salon

Related Words

• monologue
• narration
• oration
• recital
• recounting
• rendering