Meanings
nounparalanguage (countable and uncountable, plural paralanguages)
plural paralanguages
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe non-verbal elements of speech, and to a limited extent of writing, used to modify meaning and convey emotion, such as pitch, volume, and intonation
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe use of manner of speaking to communicate particular meanings
Similar
paralinguistic communication
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-
- Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
- Proto-Hellenic*pərai
- Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ́ (părắ)
- Ancient Greekπᾰρᾰ- (pără-)
- Englishpara-
- Proto-Indo-European*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s
- Proto-Italic*dn̥ɣwā
- Latindingua
- Latinlingua
- Vulgar Latin*linguāticum
- Old Frenchlanguage
- Middle Englishlangage
- Englishlanguage
- Englishparalanguage
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 副語言 /副语言
- 副語言 /副语言 (fùyǔyán)non-verbal elements of speech
Czech parajazyk
- parajazyknon-verbal elements of speech
Finnish parakieli, vokaliikka
- parakielinon-verbal elements of speech
- vokaliikkanon-verbal elements of speech
French paralangage
- paralangagenon-verbal elements of speech
Spanish paralenguaje
- paralenguajenon-verbal elements of speech
Cite this entry
APA
paralanguage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paralanguage
MLA
“paralanguage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paralanguage. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paralanguage,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paralanguage.
Source: paralanguage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.