language

Meanings

1. 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. 2
   noun

   The human ability to communicate using words.

   Language is what sets humans apart from other animals.

3. 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. 4
   noun

   A way of communicating meaning without spoken words.

   You could read the anger in her body language.

Common collocations

• language course Adjective + noun
• master a language Verb + noun
• colloquial language Adjective + noun
• figurative language Adjective + noun
• indigenous language Adjective + noun
• language requirement Noun + noun
• programming language Noun + noun
• query language Noun + noun
• acquire language Verb + noun
• english language Adjective + noun
• foul language Adjective + noun
• french language Adjective + noun

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

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images