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

See Examples For:

public speaking

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

"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

Here was the Founders’ model in miniature: classical knowledge, truth and beauty, memorization and public speaking.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026

Perhaps these qualities also prepared her to weather the slings and arrows of international NGO leadership and public speaking.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2025

We practice public speaking and how to converse with top government officials and important businesspeople.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau