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
- The quality of artistry and persuasiveness in...
Ancestry of “eloquence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | eloquence | — |
| 2 | Latin | ēloquentia | eloquence |
| 3 | Latin | ēloquēns | eloquent, articulate |
| 4 | Latin | ēloquor | to speak or utter plainly; to speak out; pronounce, declare, state, express; divulge |
| 5 | Latin | loquor | I say, speak, tell, talk; I declare, utter |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | tlokʷōr | to speak |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | telkʷ- | to talk |