illocutionary act

noun

The communicative action performed by a speaker when making an utterance, where the speaker's intention behind the utterance is crucial to its meaning.

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Meanings

nounillocutionary act (usually uncountable, plural illocutionary acts)

plural illocutionary acts

  1. uncountableusuallycommunicationThe communicative action performed by a speaker when making an utterance, where the speaker's intention behind the utterance is crucial to its meaning.
Cite this entry
APA

illocutionary act. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illocutionary%20act

MLA

“illocutionary act.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illocutionary%20act. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “illocutionary act,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illocutionary%20act.

Source: illocutionary act on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.