soliloquy

American  

[suh-lil-uh-kwee] / səˈlɪl ə kwi /

noun

plural

soliloquies

1. an utterance or discourse spoken to oneself, without regard for whether any other hearers are present (often used as a device in drama to disclose a character's innermost thoughts).

   Hamlet's soliloquy begins with “To be or not to be.”

2. the act of talking while or as if alone.

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soliloquy British  

/ səˈlɪləkwɪ /

noun

1. the act of speaking alone or to oneself, esp as a theatrical device

2. a speech in a play that is spoken in soliloquy

   Hamlet's first soliloquy

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Usage

What does soliloquy mean? A soliloquy is a speech spoken to no one but oneself, even if other people are around. The word is most often used to describe such a speech in a play. In a play, a soliloquy is performed alone, regardless of whether there are other actors present on the stage. Soliloquies are typically used to let the audience hear a character’s inner thoughts. In terms of theater, a soliloquy is different from a monologue, which is also a long speech, but is part of a conversation with someone else. Example: The most famous soliloquy in theater is perhaps the one from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which begins “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

Etymology

Origin of soliloquy

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin sōliloquium “a talking to oneself, soliloquy,” equivalent to sōli- soli- ¹ + loqu(ī) “to speak” + -ium -ium; see -y ³

Explanation

Ever see someone talking while alone on a stage? That's what you call a soliloquy — a speech made by a character in a drama as if that character is voicing their own private thoughts. Shakespeare's plays are full of soliloquies. The noun soliloquy comes from the Latin roots solus ("alone") plus loqui ("speak") — so the word literally means "an act of speaking to oneself." A soliloquy is a dramatic speech that reveals a character's inner thoughts and reflections. Some of the most famous lines in drama are taken from soliloquies. Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be" speech is a soliloquy, for example.

Example Sentences

The composer then worked with award-winning Irish film director Jason Figgis, who put the scores - 70 Years a Queen and The Queen's Soliloquy - to video.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2022

That show is entirely pastiche, and you can see the germ for that in ‘Peter Pan,’ particularly in ‘Captain Hook’s Soliloquy.’

From New York Times • Jun. 26, 2018

But Henry deserves the win just for his interpretation of Soliloquy, the arduous seven-and-a-half-minute solo director Jack O’Brien reconfigured to precede intermission.

From The Guardian • Jun. 5, 2018

Holocaust survivor Peter Fischl shares his story with today's young people in Peter Musurlian's new documentary "Holocaust Soliloquy."

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2018

Soliloquy would end, and prayer, importunate, agonizing prayer, would begin.

From Sermons to the Natural Man by Shedd, William G. T. (William Greenough Thayer)

Related Words

• discourse
• monologue