Meanings
speaking1
- not comparableUsed in speaking.
one's normal speaking voice
- not comparableExpressive; eloquent.
The sight was more speaking than any speech could be.
2 more examples
There was no reply, save on the speaking countenance.
1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XLIV, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 267Then we read Spear's confrontational commentary on the "Richard Pryor Incident" from the Black perspective...and suddenly we began to feel that GCN's window on the Gay World was something we couldn't live without since no other Gay Media voice seemed so speaking.
1977 December 17, Circle of Loving Companions, “Critical Friends”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 24, page 4 - not comparableInvolving speaking.
It was her first speaking part: she screamed.
- in compoundsnot comparableHaving competence in a language.
I travel in Russian-speaking countries.
2 more examples
The English-speaking gentleman gave us directions.
The French-speaking world listened in to the broadcast.
speaking2
plural speakings
- countableuncountableOne's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.
I can read and understand most texts in German, but my speaking is awful.
- countableuncountableThe act of communicating vocally.
Sometimes, a brawl would erupt, as a result, but, in general, public speakings were peaceful events and essential ingredients for election to office.
2011, Jimmie W. Greene, Samuel D. Perry, Bridge Builder, page 50 - countableuncountableA speaking exercise or exam.
- countableuncountableAn oral recitation of e.g. a story.
speaking3
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of speak
Who is that speaking? -Hi. This is José García (speaking).
- communicationsIndication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking.
Synonyms & antonyms
antonym(s) of “expressive”
antonym(s) of “involving speaking”
adjectivecapable of speech
noundelivering an address to a public audience
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
speaking · adjective
- Proto-Germanic*sprekaną“to speak”
- Proto-Germanic*sprekandz“speaking”
- Old Englishspecende
- Middle Englishspekinge
- Englishspeaking
From Middle English spekinge, spekynge, spekinde, spekende, spekande, spekand, from Old English specende, sprecende (“speaking”), from Proto-Germanic *sprekandz (“speaking”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak”). Equivalent to speak + -ing. Cognate with Scots speikand, speikin (“speaking”), Saterland Frisian spreekend (“speaking”), West Frisian sprekkend (“speaking”), Dutch sprekend (“speaking”), German Low German sprekend (“speaking”), German sprechend (“speaking”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →speaking · noun
- Middle Englishspeking
- Englishspeaking
From Middle English speking, spekynge, equivalent to speak + -ing.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →speaking · verb, interjection
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic كَلَام, تَكَلُّم
- كَلَام (kalām)ability to communicate vocally
- تَكَلُّم (takallum)ability to communicate vocally
- تَحَدُّث (taḥadduṯ)ability to communicate vocally
Bulgarian гово́рещ, гово́рене
- гово́рещ (govórešt)having the ability of speech
- гово́рене (govórene)ability to communicate vocally
- ра́зговор (rázgovor)the act of communicating vocally
- реч (reč)an oral recitation
- рецити́ране (recitírane)an oral recitation
- на телефона (na telefona)indication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
Chinese Mandarin 說 /说, 講 /讲
- 說 /说 (shuō)ability to communicate vocally
- 講 /讲 (jiǎng)ability to communicate vocally
- 口語 /口语 (kǒuyǔ)ability to communicate vocally
Czech mluvení
- mluveníability to communicate vocally
Dutch daar spreekt u mee
- daar spreekt u meeindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
Finnish puhuva, puhetaito
- puhuvahaving the ability of speech
- puhetaitoability to communicate vocally
French parole
- paroleability to communicate vocally
German Sprech-, Sprach-
- Sprech-used in speaking
- Sprach-used in speaking
- Sprech-having the ability of speech
- -sprachighaving the ability of speech
- -sprechendhaving the ability of speech
- sprechendhaving the ability of speech
- Rede-having the ability of speech
- rede-having the ability of speech
- Sprechenability to communicate vocally
- am Apparatindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
Hungarian beszéd-, beszélő
- beszéd-used in speaking
- beszélőhaving the ability of speech
- beszédability to communicate vocally
- beszédthe act of communicating vocally
- én vagyok azindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
Indonesian berbicara
- berbicaraability to communicate vocally
Japanese 話すこと, スピーキング
- 話すこと (hanasu koto)ability to communicate vocally
- スピーキング (supīkingu)ability to communicate vocally
- 言葉 (kotoba)ability to communicate vocally
Korean 말하기
- 말하기 (malhagi)ability to communicate vocally
Malay bertutur
- bertuturability to communicate vocally
Polish mówienie, tu
- mówienieability to communicate vocally
- tuindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
- tutajindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
- z tej stronyindication that the person requested is the same as the one who is currently speaking
Russian говоря́щий, говоре́ние
- говоря́щий (govorjáščij)having the ability of speech
- говоре́ние (govorénije)ability to communicate vocally
- разгово́р (razgovór)ability to communicate vocally
- разгово́р (razgovór)the act of communicating vocally
- речь (rečʹ)an oral recitation
- выступле́ние (vystuplénije)an oral recitation
Slovak hovorenie
- hovorenieability to communicate vocally
Spanish oratoria, habla
- oratoriaability to communicate vocally
- hablaability to communicate vocally
- fabla (disused)ability to communicate vocally
- hablathe act of communicating vocally
- fabla (disused)the act of communicating vocally
Ukrainian говорі́ння, мо́влення
- говорі́ння (hovorínnja)ability to communicate vocally
- мо́влення (móvlennja)ability to communicate vocally
- розмо́ва (rozmóva)the act of communicating vocally
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with speaking
All rhymes →Cite this entry
speaking. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaking
“speaking.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaking. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speaking,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaking.
Source: speaking on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.