English Meaning & Definitions
Written or spoken communication or debate; a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing.
- “The current political discourse often lacks civility and mutual understanding.”
- “Her doctoral thesis was a profound discourse on post-colonial literature.”
To speak or write authoritatively about a subject.
- “During the seminar, the guest speaker discoursed at length on the future of artificial intelligence.”
- “He spent the evening discoursing with his colleagues about the latest scientific discoveries.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “discourse”.
From Old French *discours* 'a running about, conversation', from Latin *discursus* 'a running to and fro', past participle of *discurrere* 'to run about, hasten, travel over', from *dis-* 'apart, away' + *currere* 'to run'. The sense of 'formal discussion' emerged in the 16th century.
Think of 'discuss' (to talk about) and 'course' (a path or flow). Discourse is the flow of discussion or a formal course of communication.
Frequently Asked Questions About “discourse”
1. What is the meaning of “discourse” in English?
In English, discourse (noun) is defined as: “Written or spoken communication or debate; a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing.”.
2. How do you use “discourse” in a sentence?
“The current political discourse often lacks civility and mutual understanding.”
3. What are English synonyms of “discourse”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “discourse”?
From Old French *discours* 'a running about, conversation', from Latin *discursus* 'a running to and fro', past participle of *discurrere* 'to run about, hasten, travel over', from *dis-* 'apart, away' + *currere* 'to run'. The sense of 'formal discussion' emerged in the 16th century.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
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