- rhetorical
- rhetorical (adj.) late 15c., "eloquent," from L. rhetoricus (see RHETORIC (Cf. rhetoric)). Meaning "pertaining to rhetoric" is from 1520s. Rhetorical question is from 1670s. Related: Rhetorically.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
rhetorical
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rhetorical — rhetorical, grandiloquent, magniloquent, aureate, flowery, euphuistic, bombastic are comparable when they mean emphasizing style often at the expense of thought. Rhetorical describes a style, discourse, passage, phrase, or word which, however… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Rhetorical — Rhe*tor ic*al, a. [L. rhetoricus, Gr. ????. See {Rhetoric}.] Of or pertaining to rhetoric; according to, or exhibiting, rhetoric; oratorical; as, the rhetorical art; a rhetorical treatise; a rhetorical flourish. [1913 Webster] They permit him to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
rhetorical — index flatulent, inflated (bombastic), orotund, turgid, voluble Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
rhetorical — [adj] wordy; flowery in speech articulate, aureate, bombastic, declamatory, eloquent, embellished, euphuistic, exaggerated, flamboyant, flashy*, florid, fluent, glib*, grand, grandiloquent, grandiose, high flown, hyperbolic, imposing, inflated,… … New thesaurus
rhetorical — ► ADJECTIVE 1) relating to or concerned with rhetoric. 2) expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress. 3) (of a question) asked for effect or to make a statement rather than to obtain an answer. DERIVATIVES rhetorically adverb … English terms dictionary
rhetorical — [ri tôr′i kəl] adj. 1. of, having the nature of, or according to rhetoric 2. using or characterized by mere rhetoric, or artificial eloquence; showy and elaborate in style rhetorically adv … English World dictionary
rhetorical — [[t]rɪtɒ̱rɪk(ə)l, AM tɔ͟ːr [/t]] 1) ADJ: usu ADJ n A rhetorical question is one which is asked in order to make a statement rather than to get an answer. He grimaced slightly, obviously expecting no answer to his rhetorical question... He made no … English dictionary
rhetorical — also rhetoric adjective Date: 15th century 1. a. of, relating to, or concerned with rhetoric b. employed for rhetorical effect; especially asked merely for effect with no answer expected < a rhetorical question > 2. a. given to rhetoric ;… … New Collegiate Dictionary
rhetorical — adjective /rɪˈtɒr.ɪ.kəl,rəˈtɒr.ɪ.kəl,rɪˈtɔːrɪkəl,rəˈtɔːrɪkəl/ Part of or similar to rhetoric, which is the use of language as a means to persuade. A rhetorical question, for example, is one used merely to make a point, with no response expected.… … Wiktionary
rhetorical — rhe|tor|i|cal [rıˈtɔrıkəl US ˈto: , ˈta: ] adj 1.) rhetorical question a question that you ask as a way of making a statement, without expecting an answer 2.) using speech or writing in special ways in order to persuade people or to produce an… … Dictionary of contemporary English
