English · Arts & Literature
rhetoric
/ˈret.ər.ɪk/
[/ˈret.ər.ɪk/]
persuasive language
Advancednoun
Definition
The art of using language effectively and persuasively, sometimes implying empty showiness.
Example
The speech was full of stirring rhetoric but contained very few concrete proposals.
The speech was full of stirring rhetoric but contained very few concrete proposals.
Etymology
From Greek 'rhetorike' (art of speaking), from 'rhetor' (orator).
How & Where It’s Used
Common in politics, literature, and the study of communication.