Agency Dictionary
rhetoric
nounPronunciation: /ˈrɛtərɪk/
In Portuguese: retórica
Writing & Narrative
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “rhetoric” mean?
The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Etymology
From Middle English rhetorik, via Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhetorica, from Ancient Greek rhetorike techne, the art of the public speaker. The Greek base is rhetor, an orator who addressed citizens in civic assemblies, with the adjectival suffix -ikos. The art was systematized by Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian.
Usage note
In everyday use rhetoric often carries a negative sense, suggesting language that sounds impressive but lacks substance. In academic contexts it names the formal study of persuasive communication.
Synonyms
- oratory
- eloquence
Word family
- rhetorical
- rhetorically
- rhetorician
Usage examples
they emphasized the art of persuasion and argued that one could make a stronger case for any position through persuasive rhetoric
Writing.2 - Aphorisms They were professional educators who offered instruction in various subjects, including rhetoric, argumentation, and public speaking.
Concepts
- Persuasive ArgumentationPersuasive argumentation is the strategic practice of structuring reasoned claims, evidence, and rhetorical appeals to alter an audience's beliefs, values, or behavior…
- SophismA sophism is a plausibly phrased argument or line of reasoning that appears logically valid on the surface but contains an underlying intentional fallacy meant to…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Rebirthnoun
- A new beginning after a period of decline or destruction, used in mythology to describe the cyclical return to life after death. In Archetype.0, rebirth is the defining characteristic of both the Bennu and the Phoenix.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- paperweightnoun
- A small, heavy object placed on loose sheets of paper to prevent them from scattering or blowing away.
- omissionnoun
- The intentional or accidental act of leaving something out or excluding details from a statement or text.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Tangibleadjective
- Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
- Holisticadjective
- Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
Also from these editions: terms
- quotationnoun
- A group of words taken verbatim from a published text or speech and repeated by another author.
- eppur si muoveother
- An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- verbatimadjective
- In exactly the same words as the original, word for word. Said of a quotation or a transcription that changes nothing.
- clevernessnoun
- The mental quality of being quick-witted, agile, and ingenious in solving specific situational problems.
- literary devicenoun
- A technique that a writer uses to produce a particular effect or to convey meaning, such as metaphor, irony, repetition, quotation or aphorism.
- collective consciousnessnoun
- The set of beliefs, ideas and feelings shared by the members of a society, which exists beyond any single person. By extension, what a community knows and repeats in common.
- Byproductnoun
- A secondary, often unexpected result or incidental creation derived from an ongoing process or effort.
- catalystnoun
- A substance or factor that accelerates a chemical reaction or stimulates widespread systemic change without being consumed.
- comfort zonenoun
- The set of situations and habits in which a person feels safe and in control, without risk or anxiety. Leaving it is commonly described as a condition for learning and growth.
- conciseadjective
- Expressing comprehensive meaning clearly in few words, without superfluous or redundant phrasing.
- Hectarenoun
- A metric unit of surface area equal to ten thousand square meters or roughly 2.471 acres.
Also from these editions: concepts
- AphorismAn aphorism is a concise, memorable statement that expresses a general truth, ethical principle, or philosophical observation in very few words. Unlike casual sayings, it…
- Philosophical WisdomPhilosophical wisdom is the integrated capacity to synthesize deep moral understanding, sound ethical judgment, and lived experience in navigation of human life. It…
- David HumeDavid Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian and economist, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Western philosophy. In Writing.2, the article…
- Aphoristic StyleAphoristic style is a literary mode of writing composed of detached, numbered, or highly condensed statements that convey complex philosophical ideas with striking…
- State of NatureThe state of nature is a foundational philosophical concept used to hypothesize the human condition prior to the establishment of organized political societies, civil…
- Action and Non-ActionAction and non-action represent complementary philosophical states governing human agency, existential responsibility, and systemic intervention within the world. While…
- YodaYoda is a character of the Star Wars films, an old Jedi master who trains others in the Force. In the Agency editorial, Writing.2 offers one of his sentences as an…
- Act of ExistenceThe act of existence is the name the author of the Agency editorial gives, in his own philosophical draft, to existing as something one does and answers for, not…
- IntelligenceIntelligence is the set of cognitive abilities that allow a mind to reason, solve problems, learn and adapt. The Agency editorial places it between cleverness and wisdom…
- WorldviewA worldview is the comprehensive cognitive framework of foundational beliefs, values, and assumptions through which an individual or cultural group interprets reality and…
- An Enquiry Concerning Human UnderstandingAn Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is a book by the Scottish philosopher David Hume, first published in 1748. The Agency editorial takes from it the example of…