rhetoric

C2 Topic:Communication

US /ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #20850

Meanings

1

noun
Language used skillfully, especially in speeches, to persuade or impress people.

The senator's powerful rhetoric won over even his strongest critics.
2

noun
Showy or exaggerated language that sounds impressive but means little.

Voters grew tired of empty political rhetoric and demanded real action.
3

noun
The art and study of effective speaking and writing.

She studied classical rhetoric to understand how great orators shaped their arguments.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · showy or exaggerated... empty talkhot air

More speechcraftwordcraft

Word family

Derived forms rhetorical rhetorician

Related forms preterition

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

mere rhetoric
Persuasive or impressive words unsupported by meaningful action or substance.

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English rethorik, rhetoric, from Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhētorica, from Ancient Greek ῥητορική (rhētorikḗ), ellipsis of ῥητορικὴ τέχνη (rhētorikḕ tékhnē), from ῥητορικός (rhētorikós, “concerning public speech”), from ῥήτωρ (rhḗtōr, “public speaker”).

rethorik Middle English rhetorique Old French rhētorica Latin ῥητορική Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# rhetoric

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 20850

## Meanings
1. Language used skillfully, especially in speeches, to persuade or impress people.
2. Showy or exaggerated language that sounds impressive but means little.
3. The art and study of effective speaking and writing.

## Examples
- The senator's powerful rhetoric won over even his strongest critics.
- Voters grew tired of empty political rhetoric and demanded real action.
- She studied classical rhetoric to understand how great orators shaped their arguments.

## Synonyms
- speechcraft
- wordcraft

## Derived Forms
- rhetorical
- rhetorician

## Related Forms
- preterition

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: rethorik
- Root: rhetorique
- Root: rhētorica
- Root: ῥητορική

## Etymology
From Middle English rethorik, rhetoric, from Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhētorica, from Ancient Greek ῥητορική (rhētorikḗ), ellipsis of ῥητορικὴ τέχνη (rhētorikḕ tékhnē), from ῥητορικός (rhētorikós, “concerning public speech”), from ῥήτωρ (rhḗtōr, “public speaker”).

## AI Etymology
Rhetoric is from Middle English rethorik, rhetoric, from Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhētorica, from Ancient Greek ῥητορική (rhētorikḗ), ellipsis of ῥητορικὴ τέχνη (rhētorikḕ tékhnē), from ῥητορικός (rhētorikós, “concerning public speech”), from ῥήτωρ (rhḗtōr, “public speaker”). Important recorded forms include rethorik (Middle English), rhetorique (Old French), rhētorica (Latin), and ῥητορική (Ancient Greek). Current senses include language used skillfully, especially in speeches, to persuade or impress people, showy or exaggerated language that sounds impressive but means little, and the art and study of effective speaking and writing. The wider family includes derived forms such as rhetorical and rhetorician and related words such as preterition.

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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