Eloquent

How to spell eloquent

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce eloquent

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does eloquent mean?

1. adjectiveFluent, persuasive, and graceful in the use of language, whether spoken or written.

Eloquent in a sentence

• The lawyer gave an eloquent closing argument that swayed the jury.

• Her resignation letter was brief but surprisingly eloquent.

Where does eloquent come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin eloquens, the present participle of the verb eloqui, which meant 'to speak out' or 'to express clearly'. That verb was built from ex-, meaning 'out', and loqui, meaning 'to speak', so the literal sense was of speech flowing outward with force and grace. English took it up in the late 1300s through Old French, and it has always carried the idea of fluent, persuasive, well chosen expression. The same loqui root quietly powers a whole family of relatives, including loquacious (very talkative), colloquial (conversational), and elocution (the art of clear speech), and spotting that shared loqu spelling is a useful anchor. Remembering that the core is loqu, not 'loc' or 'low', is the simplest way to keep the middle of eloquent correct.

How the word is built

• e- (from ex-: out)
• loqu (to speak)
• -ent (adjective suffix)