rhetorical — relating to or concerned with the art of rhetoric; expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: relating to or concerned with the art of rhetoric; expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈtɔːrɪkəl/
Example Sentences
- When my mom asked 'Do you think money grows on trees?', I knew it was rhetorical and didn't mention my neighbor's coin tree.
- The CEO's rhetorical abilities helped convince investors to fund the ambitious project.
- His question about whether we should save the planet was rhetorical, but I still answered 'Yes, starting with my recycling bin.'
rhetorical
ADJECTIVE[/rɪˈtɔːrɪkəl/]
relating to or concerned with the art of rhetoric; expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress
The politician's rhetorical speech impressed no one.
RHETOR(speaker) + ICAL(style) — a rhetorical speaker dazzles the crowd with persuasive language.
The panicky salesman used magical tricks and rhetorical language to distract the angry customer.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Late Latin rhetoricus, derived from Greek rhetorikos, which comes from rhetor meaning 'orator' or 'speaker'. The Greek root is related to rhein meaning 'to flow' or 'to speak'.
Breakdown
rhetor (speaker/orator) + -ical (adjective suffix meaning 'of or relating to') = rhetorical (relating to the art of speaking or rhetoric)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“When my mom asked 'Do you think money grows on trees?', I knew it was rhetorical and didn't mention my neighbor's coin tree.”
“The CEO's rhetorical abilities helped convince investors to fund the ambitious project.”
“His question about whether we should save the planet was rhetorical, but I still answered 'Yes, starting with my recycling bin.'”
“The professor's rhetorical techniques made even boring statistics sound fascinating.”
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