language

A1 Topic:Communication

US /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd͡ʒ/ UK /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd͡ʒ/ See IPA manual

Freq #1406

Meanings

1

noun
A system of words and grammar used by the people of a particular country or community to communicate.

English and German are both members of the same language family.
2

noun
The human ability to communicate using words.

Language is what sets humans apart from other animals.
3

noun
The particular words and style used in a text or by a group of people.

The contract was written in formal legal language.
4

noun
A way of communicating meaning without spoken words.

You could read the anger in her body language.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a system of words and... linguistic communication

2 noun · the human ability to... speech

3 noun · the particular words and... jargon

More leidlingo tongue

Word family

Forms languages

Related forms languelanguoidlingualinguinelinguisticstonguage

Appears in

Phrases (15)

See all

language course
a course focused on learning or improving a foreign language

Adjective + noun
master a language
achieve full fluency and command of a language

Verb + noun
colloquial language
informal language typical of ordinary conversation

Adjective + noun
figurative language
language that uses images or comparisons instead of only literal meanings

Adjective + noun
indigenous language
a language originating among the people of a particular place

Adjective + noun
language requirement
a condition that someone must know or study a particular language

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Language entered Middle English from Old French langage, formed from Latin lingua, “tongue.” The Latin word goes back to an Indo-European root also represented by English lick.

Etymology

From Middle English langage, language, from Old French language, from Vulgar Latin *linguāticum, from Latin lingua (“tongue, speech, language”), from Old Latin dingua (“tongue”), from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (“tongue, speech, language”). Doublet of langaj. Displaced native Old English ġeþēode.

langage Middle English language Old French *linguāticum la-vul lingua Latin dingua itc-ola *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Language & Linguistics Register & Style

External links

# language

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd͡ʒ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd͡ʒ/
**Frequency rank:** 1406

## Meanings
1. A system of words and grammar used by the people of a particular country or community to communicate.
2. The human ability to communicate using words.
3. The particular words and style used in a text or by a group of people.
4. A way of communicating meaning without spoken words.

## Examples
- English and German are both members of the same language family.
- Language is what sets humans apart from other animals.
- The contract was written in formal legal language.
- You could read the anger in her body language.

## Synonyms
- leid
- lingo
- speech
- tongue

## Related Forms
- langue
- languoid
- lingua
- linguine
- linguistics
- tonguage

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: langage
- Root: language
- Root: *linguāticum
- Root: lingua
- Root: dingua
- Root: *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s

## Etymology
From Middle English langage, language, from Old French language, from Vulgar Latin *linguāticum, from Latin lingua (“tongue, speech, language”), from Old Latin dingua (“tongue”), from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (“tongue, speech, language”). Doublet of langaj. Displaced native Old English ġeþēode.

## AI Etymology
Language comes from Middle English langage, language, from Old French language, from Vulgar Latin *linguāticum, from Latin lingua (“tongue, speech, language”), from Old Latin dingua (“tongue”), from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (“tongue, speech, language”). Doublet of langaj. Displaced native Old English ġeþēode.

## Topics
- Communication
- Language & Linguistics
- Register & Style

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