Rhetoric — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

using language effectively to please or persuade

high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/ɹˈɛɾɚɹˌɪk/

🇬🇧British English

/ɹˈɛtəɹˌɪk/

🇮🇳Indian English

/ɹˈɛtəɹˌɪk/

3 syllables Say it as /ɹˈɛɾɚɹˌɪk/.

Examples

the grandiosity of his prose
an excessive ornateness of language
mere rhetoric

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

grandiosity magniloquence grandiloquence palaver empty words ornateness empty talk hot air

Parts of Speech

noun	using language effectively to please or persuade
noun	high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation “the grandiosity of his prose”
noun	loud and confused and empty talk “mere rhetoric”
noun	study of the technique and rules for using language effectively (especially in public speaking)

Word Forms

rhetorician	noun	a person who delivers a speech or oration
grandiose	adjective	affectedly genteel
magniloquent	adjective	lofty in style
ornate	adjective	marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details; ; -John Milton
grandiloquent	adjective	lofty in style
palaver	verb	speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
rhetorical	adjective	of or relating to rhetoric; - W.A.White; - Lewis Mumford

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

Rhetorik

Sprache effektiv nutzen, um zu gefallen oder zu überzeugen

🇫🇷French

rhétorique

utiliser le langage efficacement pour plaire ou persuader

🇪🇸Spanish

retórica

Usar el lenguaje de manera efectiva para complacer o persuadir.

🇮🇹Italian

retorica

usare il linguaggio in modo efficace per compiacere o persuadere

🇳🇱Dutch

retoriek

effectief gebruik van taal om te behagen of te overtuigen

🇵🇹Portuguese

retórica

usar a linguagem de forma eficaz para agradar ou persuadir

🇷🇺Russian

риторика

эффективно использовать язык, чтобы доставить удовольствие или убедить

India

🇮🇳Hindi

वक्रपटुता

खुश करने या मनाने के लिए भाषा का प्रभावी ढंग से उपयोग करना

🇧🇩Bengali

অলঙ্কারশাস্ত্র

সন্তুষ্ট বা রাজি করাতে কার্যকরভাবে ভাষা ব্যবহার করা

🇮🇳Tamil

சொல்லாட்சி

தயவு செய்து அல்லது வற்புறுத்துவதற்கு மொழியை திறம்பட பயன்படுத்துதல்

🇮🇳Telugu

వాక్చాతుర్యం

దయచేసి లేదా ఒప్పించడానికి భాషను సమర్థవంతంగా ఉపయోగించడం

🇮🇳Marathi

वक्तृत्व

खूश करण्यासाठी किंवा पटवून देण्यासाठी प्रभावीपणे भाषा वापरणे

🇮🇳Gujarati

રેટરિક

ખુશ કરવા અથવા સમજાવવા માટે અસરકારક રીતે ભાષાનો ઉપયોગ કરવો

🇮🇳Kannada

ವಾಕ್ಚಾತುರ್ಯ

ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಅಥವಾ ಮನವೊಲಿಸಲು ಭಾಷೆಯನ್ನು ಪರಿಣಾಮಕಾರಿಯಾಗಿ ಬಳಸುವುದು

🇮🇳Malayalam

വാചാടോപം

പ്രസാദിപ്പിക്കാനോ അനുനയിപ്പിക്കാനോ ഭാഷ ഫലപ്രദമായി ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਬਿਆਨਬਾਜ਼ੀ

ਖੁਸ਼ ਕਰਨ ਜਾਂ ਮਨਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵਸ਼ਾਲੀ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਦੀ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਕਰਨਾ

🇵🇰Urdu

بیان بازی

خوش کرنے یا قائل کرنے کے لیے مؤثر طریقے سے زبان کا استعمال

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

修辞

有效地使用语言来取悦或说服

🇯🇵Japanese

レトリック

相手を喜ばせたり説得したりするために言葉を効果的に使う

🇰🇷Korean

수사학

기쁘게 하거나 설득하기 위해 효과적으로 언어를 사용하는 것

🇻🇳Vietnamese

hùng biện

sử dụng ngôn ngữ một cách hiệu quả để làm hài lòng hoặc thuyết phục

🇹🇭Thai

วาทศาสตร์

การใช้ภาษาอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพเพื่อเอาใจหรือโน้มน้าวใจ

🇮🇩Indonesian

retorik

menggunakan bahasa secara efektif untuk menyenangkan atau membujuk

🇵🇭Filipino

retorika

mabisang paggamit ng wika upang pasayahin o hikayatin

🇲🇾Malay

retorik

menggunakan bahasa secara berkesan untuk menggembirakan atau memujuk

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

البلاغة

استخدام اللغة بشكل فعال لإرضاء أو الإقناع

🇮🇷Persian

لفاظی

استفاده موثر از زبان برای خشنود کردن یا متقاعد کردن

🇹🇷Turkish

retorik

Memnun etmek veya ikna etmek için dili etkili bir şekilde kullanmak

🇮🇱Hebrew

רֵטוֹרִיקָה

שימוש יעיל בשפה כדי לרצות או לשכנע

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'rhetoric'?

The primary meaning of 'rhetoric' is 'using language effectively to please or persuade'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'rhetoric' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'rhetoric' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'rhetoric' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'rhetoric' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'rhetoric' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

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Never

Do you find 'rhetoric' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'rhetoric' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'rhetoric' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'rhetoric' in a professional email?

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Never

Would you classify 'rhetoric' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

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