rhetoric
rhetoric Lexical Profile
rhetoric Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity, meaningful content, or practical action.
"Voters grew tired of the candidate's campaign rhetoric and demanded concrete policy proposals."
The art or study of effective, persuasive speaking and writing, especially through the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
"In classical education, students studied grammar, logic, and rhetoric to master the art of public debate."
Word Nuance & Usage
In academic and literary contexts, 'rhetoric' is a neutral term referring to the formal study and practice of persuasive communication, whereas in everyday and political discourse it often carries a negative connotation of pretentious, exaggerated, or insincere language lacking genuine substance.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'retorique', via Latin 'rhetorica', from Ancient Greek 'rhētorikḗ tékhnē' (the art of an orator), derived from 'rhḗtōr' (public speaker).