eloquence Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun powerful and effective language
fluency; smoothness.
- his eloquence attracted a large congregation
- fluency in spoken and written English is essential
- his oily smoothness concealed his guilt from the police

F. éloquence, L. eloquentia, fr. eloquens. See Eloquent.

Fluent, forcible, elegant, and persuasive speech in public; the power of expressing strong emotions in striking and appropriate language either spoken or written, thereby producing conviction or persuasion.
Eloquence is speaking out . . . out of the abundance of the heart. Hare.
Fig.: Whatever produces the effect of moving and persuasive speech.
Silence that spoke and eloquence of eyes. Pope.

The hearts of men are their books; events are their tutors; great actions are their eloquence. Macaulay.
That which is eloquently uttered or written.
O, let my books be then the eloquence And dumb presagers of my speaking breast. Shak.
Syn. -- Oratory; rhetoric.