Verbalist

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvəːb(ə)lɪst/

Definitions

1. A person talented in the articulate and effective use of language or vocabulary ; an individual who tends to use words in an overly elaborate or showy manner
2. Someone who is adept at expressing ideas through speech or writing ; a person prone to employing language in a manner that is pompous or unnecessarily wordy
3. An individual with skill in verbal communication and wording ; a speaker or writer who often uses extravagant or excessive language to impress

Etymology: "Verbalist" is a plain formation: the adjective "verbal," meaning relating to words, joined to the suffix "-ist," which marks a person who practises or is devoted to something. Put together, the word names someone whose craft or habit is words. The suffix does the same work in "pianist" or "novelist," turning a subject into the person who works with it. The meaning has drifted in a telling direction. The neutral sense, a person skilled in verbal expression, sits alongside a more disparaging one: a speaker or writer who uses extravagant or excessive language to impress. The same pattern appears in related words where a fondness for wording slides toward showing off, so the term can praise a fine wordsmith or quietly criticise one who values fancy phrasing over substance.