Word of the day · 27 August 2026
eloquent
/ˈɛləkwənt/
adjective
Fluent and persuasive in speech or writing; clearly expressive.
In a sentence
- Her eloquent closing argument swayed the undecided jurors.
- The letter was short, eloquent and impossible to ignore.
- An eloquent pause said more than another paragraph would have.
In an image
Origin
From Latin eloquens, from eloqui (to speak out).
History
Rhetoric made eloquent a standard praise for skilled public speech in classical and Renaissance education. English kept the sense of persuasive clarity in talk and prose. The word can also describe silent things (an eloquent silence, an eloquent glance) when meaning is plain without speech. It rewards precision more than ornament.
Nearby words
articulate · fluent · persuasive
When words carry force without needing volume.