Magniloquences

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of speaking in a lofty or grandiose manner designed to impress
2. A style of eloquent and extravagant speech often characterized by grandiloquence
3. The use of elaborate and pompous language that seeks to elevate the speaker's message

Etymology: Magniloquence is the noun for lofty, grand-sounding speech, and its plural, "magniloquences", simply refers to several instances or kinds of it. The noun comes from Latin "magniloquentia", a compound of "magnus" ("great") and "loqui" ("to speak"), so the English word literally means great-speaking. The Latin root is inherited from classical usage rather than coined later, which makes the word's construction transparent: "magnus" supplies the sense of size or grandeur, and "loqui" supplies the act of talking. The English form follows the Latin closely, with the familiar "-ence" ending marking the abstract noun.

Synonyms: grandiloquence, eloquence, oratory, rhetoric, bombast

Antonyms: plainness, simplicity, conciseness, terse speech