speech
gb/spˈit͡ʃ/ us/spˈit͡ʃ/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
action
1
spoken communication
The act of talking or saying words to share ideas.
Usage pattern:
to give/make [a] speech
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'speech' with 'speak'. 'Speech' is a noun, while 'speak' is a verb.
Synonyms
talk (More casual and informal than 'speech', often less structured.)
|
address (A formal or official speech, often to an audience.)
Antonyms
silence (The absence of speech or sound.)
Collocations
give a speech
|make a speech
|deliver a speech
|public speech
|speech skills
Themes
communication
|language
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- She gave a moving speech at the graduation ceremony.
- The president's speech was broadcast live on television.
- He practiced his speech for days before the big event.
Learner examples
- I gave a short speech in class.
- She made a speech about her trip.
- He will give a speech at the party.
Noun
B1
entity
2
formal spoken address
A planned talk given to people, usually for a special reason.
Usage pattern:
to deliver [a] speech to [someone]
Synonyms
lecture (A longer, often educational talk; more instructional than most speeches.)
|
oration (A very formal or ceremonial speech.)
Collocations
keynote speech
|wedding speech
|victory speech
|farewell speech
Themes
communication
|public speaking
|education
|business
Examples
- He delivered a heartfelt wedding speech.
- The keynote speech opened the conference.
- Her farewell speech thanked all her colleagues.
Learner examples
- She gave a wedding speech for her sister.
- He made a farewell speech at work.
- The teacher gave a short speech to the class.
Noun
B1
state
3
ability to speak
The ability to say words and talk.
Synonyms
articulation (Focuses on clarity of producing sounds rather than the general ability to speak.)
Antonyms
mutism (The inability or refusal to speak.)
Collocations
loss of speech
|speech development
|speech disorder
|speech therapy
Themes
language
|health
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After the accident, he lost his speech for several months.
- Speech develops rapidly in early childhood.
- She attends therapy to improve her speech.
Learner examples
- Babies learn speech from their parents.
- He lost his speech after the illness.
- Speech is important for communication.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
4
form of spoken language
A way of speaking that is special to a place or group of people.
Synonyms
dialect (A regional variety of language with its own words and grammar.)
Collocations
direct speech
|reported speech
|impromptu speech
Themes
language
|sociolinguistics
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- His speech reflects the local accent.
- Shakespeare's plays use Early Modern English speech.
- The villagers' speech was hard for outsiders to understand.
Learner examples
- Her speech sounds different from mine.
- They have their own kind of speech in that town.
- I like listening to old English speech.
Grammar
Dictionary form
speech
IPA
GB/spˈit͡ʃ/
US/spˈit͡ʃ/
Syllables & stress
speech (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (speech)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: speech
- Plural: speech, speeches
Word family
Forms
speeches
noun
Related words
spokesperson
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
speechless
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
unspeakable
adjective
Expressions
make a speech
1/mˈeɪk ə spˈit͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
give a talk to audience
To give a planned talk to people.
Examples
- He made a speech at his friend's wedding.
- She will make a speech at the award ceremony.
slurred speech
1/slˈɚd spˈit͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
unclear spoken words from impairment
When someone talks in a way that is hard to understand because they cannot say words clearly.
Examples
- The patient showed signs of slurred speech after the stroke.
- Slurred speech can be caused by alcohol consumption.
speechless with surprise
1/spˈit͡ʃləs wˈɪθ səpɹˈaɪz/
fixed phrase
unable to speak due to surprise
Not able to talk because you are so surprised.
Examples
- She was speechless with surprise when she saw the gift.
- I was speechless with surprise at the news.
freedom of speech
1/fɹˈidəm əv spˈit͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
Right to express opinions openly
The right to say what you think without control by the government.
Examples
- Freedom of speech is protected in many countries.
- He spoke out, exercising his freedom of speech.
- He spoke out, using his right to freedom of speech.