speaking

English

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈspiːˌkiŋ/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

speaking (not comparable)

1. Used in speaking.

   one's normal speaking voice

2. Expressive; eloquent.

   The sight was more speaking than any speech could be.

3. Involving speaking.

   It was her first speaking part: she screamed.

4. Having the ability of speech.

   speaking parrot; speaking clock

   1. (in compounds) Having competence in a language.

      the English-speaking gentleman gave us directions; I travel in Russian-speaking countries; the French-speaking world listened in to the broadcast

Antonyms

• (expressive): unspeaking
• (involving speaking): nonspeaking

Noun

speaking (plural speakings)

1. One's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.

   I can read and understand mosts texts in German, but my speaking is awful.

2. The act of communicating vocally.
3. An oral recitation of e.g. a story.

Verb

speaking

1. Present participle of speak.

Statistics

• Most common English words before 1923: cost · value · cast · #784: speaking · circumstances · sitting · Christ