Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “eloquence” come from?

Eloquence comes from Old French eloquence, derived from Latin eloquentia, formed from the Latin prefix ex- meaning "out" and the Latin verb loquī meaning "to speak."

eloquence (English): The quality of artistry and persuasiveness in...

Definitions

  1. The quality of artistry and persuasiveness in...

Ancestry of “eloquence”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frencheloquence—
2Latinēloquentia—
3Latinēloquēns—
4Latinēloquor—
5LatinloquorI say, speak, tell, talk; I declare, utter
6Proto-Italictlokʷōr—
7Proto-Indo-Europeantelkʷ-to talk

Words derived from “eloquence”

  • ineloquence
Every word from Proto-Indo-European telkʷ- →