diction
Plural: dictions
Noun
- The choice and use of words in speech or writing.
- the articulation of speech regarded from the point of view of its intelligibility to the audience
- the manner in which something is expressed in words; - G.S.Patton
- Choice and use of words, especially with regard to effective communication.
- The effectiveness and degree of clarity of word choice and expression.
- Enunciation, pronunciation.
Examples
- His poor diction meant that most of the audience didn't really understand the key points of the presentation.
- His precise DICTION in explaining his word choice always impressed his opponents.
Origin / Etymology
From late Middle English diccion (“something said; a word or phrase”) (an obsolete sense in Modern English), borrowed directly from Latin dictiō (“a saying, speaking, uttering”) or from Old French dicïon (“word”) (Anglo-Norman dictyoun), from Late Latin dictiō (“word”), both from dīcō (“to say, to talk”) + -tiō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to show, to point out”).
The modern senses of “choice and use of words” and “clarity of word choice” were likely influenced by additional senses of dictiō.
Synonyms
choice of words, enunciation, phraseology, phrasing, verbiage, wording
Scrabble Score: 10
diction: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Worddiction: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
diction: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary