What does rhetoric mean?

Definitions for rhetoric
ˈrɛt ər ɪkrhetoric

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word rhetoric.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. rhetoricnoun

    using language effectively to please or persuade

  2. grandiosity, magniloquence, ornateness, grandiloquence, rhetoricnoun

    high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation

    "the grandiosity of his prose"; "an excessive ornateness of language"

  3. palaver, hot air, empty words, empty talk, rhetoricnoun

    loud and confused and empty talk

    "mere rhetoric"

  4. rhetoricnoun

    study of the technique and rules for using language effectively (especially in public speaking)

Wiktionary

  1. rhetoricnoun

    The art of using language, especially public speaking, as a means to persuade.

  2. rhetoricnoun

    Meaningless language with an exaggerated style intended to impress.

    It's only so much rhetoric.

Wikipedia

  1. Rhetoric

    Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. Aristotle defines rhetoric as "the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion" and since mastery of the art was necessary for victory in a case at law, for passage of proposals in the assembly, or for fame as a speaker in civic ceremonies, he calls it "a combination of the science of logic and of the ethical branch of politics". Rhetoric typically provides heuristics for understanding, discovering, and developing arguments for particular situations, such as Aristotle's three persuasive audience appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos. The five canons of rhetoric or phases of developing a persuasive speech were first codified in classical Rome: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. From Ancient Greece to the late 19th century, rhetoric played a central role in Western education in training orators, lawyers, counsellors, historians, statesmen, and poets.

ChatGPT

  1. rhetoric

    Rhetoric is the art or skill of speaking or writing effectively and persuasively, often utilizing figures of speech, compositional techniques, and other strategies to persuade or influence an audience. It is traditionally utilized in areas such as politics, literature, journalism, and advertising. The term can also refer to language that is elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or designed to impress.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Rhetoricnoun

    the art of composition; especially, elegant composition in prose

  2. Rhetoricnoun

    oratory; the art of speaking with propriety, elegance, and force

  3. Rhetoricnoun

    hence, artificial eloquence; fine language or declamation without conviction or earnest feeling

  4. Rhetoricnoun

    fig. : The power of persuasion or attraction; that which allures or charms

  5. Etymology: [F. rhtorique, L. rhetorica, Gr. (sc. ), fr. rhetorical, oratorical, fr. orator, rhetorician; perhaps akin to E. word; cf. to say.]

Wikidata

  1. Rhetoric

    Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western tradition. Its best known definition comes from Aristotle, who considers it a counterpart of both logic and politics, and calls it "the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion." Rhetorics typically provide heuristics for understanding, discovering, and developing arguments for particular situations, such as Aristotle's three persuasive audience appeals, logos, pathos, and ethos. The five canons of rhetoric, which trace the traditional tasks in designing a persuasive speech, were first codified in classical Rome: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. Along with grammar and logic, rhetoric is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. From ancient Greece to the late 19th century, it was a central part of Western education, filling the need to train public speakers and writers to move audiences to action with arguments. The word is derived from the Greek ῥητορικός, "oratorical", from ῥήτωρ, "public speaker", related to ῥῆμα, "that which is said or spoken, word, saying", and ultimately derived from the verb λέγω, "to speak, say".

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Rhetoric

    ret′or-ik, n. the theory and practice of eloquence, whether spoken or written, the whole art of using language so as to persuade others: the art of speaking with propriety, elegance, and force: artificial oratory: declamation.—adj. Rhetor′ical, pertaining to rhetoric: oratorical.—adv. Rhetor′ically.—v.i. Rhetor′icāte (obs.), to act the orator.—ns. Rhetoricā′tion (obs.); Rhetori′cian, one who teaches the art of rhetoric: an orator.—v.i. Rhet′orise, to play the orator. [Fr.,—L. rhetorica (ars)—Gr. rhētorikē (technē), the rhetorical (art)—rhētōr, a public speaker—erein, to speak.]

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Rhetoric

    the science or art of persuasive or effective speech, written as well as spoken, and that both in theory and practice was cultivated to great perfection among the ancient Greeks and Romans, and to some extent in the Middle Ages and later, but is much less cultivated either as a science or an art to-day.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz

  1. RHETORIC

    Language in a dress suit.

How to pronounce rhetoric?

How to say rhetoric in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of rhetoric in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of rhetoric in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of rhetoric in a Sentence

  1. Brantner Smith:

    This rhetoric that, somehow, police are the problem is still coming from the radical left, …The police, unfortunately, have been horribly politicized, so while you're going to see all this quiet refunding of police budgets all around the country, I believe we're going to continue to see this anti-police rhetoric.

  2. Matt Smith:

    Bullish momentum from a technical perspective, in cahoots with dovish Fed rhetoric, has this market on fire again despite the crude inventories we're seeing.

  3. The White House:

    Since the Speaker has chosen to tear this Nation apart with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi actions and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rhetoric, the President will not participate in moments where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi so often chooses to drive discord and disunity, and will instead celebrate the rich history and strong ties between the United States and Ireland at The White House on March 12, the relationship between our two countries has never been stronger, and the President looks forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Ireland for the annual Shamrock Bowl presentation.

  4. Matt Sharp:

    In my experience, a lot of the rhetoric being tossed around to justify why (private) agencies shouldn't be given (government) contracts has been that they are 'religious bigots,' a lot of the same language directed against Jack.

  5. Barack Obama:

    I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for (ISIS) than some of the rhetoric that's been coming out of here during the course of this debate.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

rhetoric#10000#13286#100000

Translations for rhetoric

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • بلاغةArabic
  • rétorika, floskule, řečnictvíCzech
  • retorik, kancellistil, velformuleretDanish
  • RhetorikGerman
  • retóricaSpanish
  • بلاغتPersian
  • puhetaito, retoriikkaFinnish
  • rhétoriqueFrench
  • reitric, roscaireachtIrish
  • वक्रपटुताHindi
  • հռետորաբանությունArmenian
  • retoriek, redekunde, retoricaDutch
  • retóricaPortuguese
  • пустосло́вие, красноре́чие, рито́рика, риторика, пустозво́нство, красноба́йство, фразёрство, словоблу́диеRussian
  • gòvōrnīštvo, retòrikaSerbo-Croatian
  • рето́рикаUkrainian
  • بیاناتUrdu
  • 修辭Chinese

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"rhetoric." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/rhetoric>.

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