rhetoric
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rhetoric¹
- /ˈɹɛtəɹɪk/
- /ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/ also
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English rhetorik, rhetoric, borrowed from Old French rhetorique, borrowed from Latin rhētorica, borrowed from Ancient Greek ῥητορικὴ (rhētorikḕ), ellipsis of ῥητορῐκή τέχνη (rhētorĭkḗ tékhnē).
noun rhetorics · rhetorick
- The art of using language, especially public speaking, as a means to persuade. Transport Minister Marples, meanwhile, used arrogant rhetoric and showed his personal contempt for railways when confirming in Parliament that a third of the network was to be closed even before the survey results were known.
- Meaningless language with an exaggerated style intended to impress. It’s only so much rhetoric.
Similar: speechcraft, wordcraft
rhetoric²
- /ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English rhetorik, borrowed from Old French rhetorique, borrowed from Latin rhētoricus, borrowed from Ancient Greek ῥητορικός (rhētorikós), from ῥήτωρ (rhḗtōr, “public speaker”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós). By surface analysis, rhetor + -ic.
adjective rhetorick
-
Synonym of rhetorical.
Similar: rhetorical
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: magniloquence, grandiloquence, grandiosity, empty words, hot air, palaver, empty talk, rhetorical, eloquence, expression, speech, reasoning, phrase, theoretical, discourse, language
noun
Similar: speechcraft, wordcraft
Translations
Every language
noun art of using language for persuasion
| Español | retórica |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 수사학 susahak, 미사여구 misayeogu |
| 日本語 | 修辞学 shūjigaku |
| 中文 | 修辭 /修辞 xiūcí, 修辭學 /修辞学 xiūcíxué |
| हिन्दी | वाक्पटुता vākpaṭutā, शब्दाडम्बर śabdāḍambar, वक्रपटुता vakrapṭutā, बलाग़त balāġat, फ़साहत fasāhat |
| Português | retórica |
| Français | rhétorique, discours |
| Deutsch | Rhetorik, Redekunst |
| Italiano | retorica |
| Ελληνικά | ρητορική ritorikí |
| Română | retorică |
| Русский | красноре́чие krasnoréčije, красноба́йство krasnobájstvo, рито́рика ritórika |
| Tiếng Việt | tu từ học |
| العربية | بَلَاغَة balāḡa, فَصَاحَة faṣāḥa |
| עברית | רֶטוֹרִיקָה retórika |
noun meaningless language
| 中文 | 強詞奪理 /强词夺理 qiángcíduólǐ |
|---|---|
| Português | retórica |
| Français | rhétorique |
| Русский | пустосло́вие pustoslóvije, фразёрство frazjórstvo, словоблу́дие slovoblúdije, пустозво́нство pustozvónstvo |
Talk about this word "rhetoric." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rhetoric. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. rhetoric. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rhetoric "rhetoric." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rhetoric.Cite this
@misc{rhetoric_2026,
title = {rhetoric},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rhetoric},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
