soliloquy — an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play
Pronunciation (IPA): /səˈlɪləkwi/
Example Sentences
- During the boring meeting, John's internal soliloquy was 'Why am I here? What's the meaning of life? Should I order pizza for lunch?'
- The actor forgot his soliloquy and started improvising about his grocery shopping list
- Shakespeare's soliloquies reveal the inner thoughts and conflicts of his characters
soliloquy
NOUN[/səˈlɪləkwi/]
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play

Alone on stage, the actor delivers a heartfelt soliloquy under a single spotlight.

The actor gave a soliloquy, speaking his private thoughts aloud as if no one else were there. (Think of: SOLILOQUY → SOLO + TALK)

The soliloquy revealed her thoughts, while the colloquy became heated with harsh obloquy.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'soliloquium', combining 'solus' (alone) and 'loqui' (to speak). The word entered English in the early 17th century, initially used in drama to describe a character speaking their inner thoughts aloud.
Breakdown
sol- (alone, from Latin solus) + -i- (connecting vowel) + loqu- (speak, from Latin loqui) + -y (noun suffix) = soliloquy
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“During the boring meeting, John's internal soliloquy was 'Why am I here? What's the meaning of life? Should I order pizza for lunch?'”
“The actor forgot his soliloquy and started improvising about his grocery shopping list”
“Shakespeare's soliloquies reveal the inner thoughts and conflicts of his characters”
“She delivered a passionate soliloquy about why pineapple belongs on pizza”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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