Fluency

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfluːənsi/

Definitions

1. The ability to express oneself easily and articulately in speech or writing
2. The capacity to communicate thoughts seamlessly and coherently in both spoken and written forms illustrates proficiency in a language
3. The quality that allows someone to speak or write effortlessly and with clarity

Etymology: Fluency began as a physical image. The Latin verb "fluere" meant "to flow," and "fluens" was its present participle, so a fluent thing was one that ran smoothly, like water. Late Latin built "fluentia" from that stem, and English took the noun from it, with the sense of flowing or abundance still audible in older uses that spoke of a fluency of words or of wealth. The "-cy" ending is a plain English suffix that turns the adjective "fluent" into a noun for the quality it describes, so "fluent" plus "-cy" gives "fluency" as the state of being fluent. The same flowing metaphor survives in "fluent," which still describes a language spoken with the ease of running water, and in the related French "fluence," which shares the Latin root.

Synonyms: proficiency, eloquence, articulation, fluidity, smoothness

Antonyms: incompetence, hesitation, difficulty, inarticulateness, awkwardness