different between speech vs byword

English

Alternative forms

• speach (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English speche, from Old English sp??, spr?? (“speech, discourse, language”), from Proto-Germanic *spr?kij?, *spr?k? (“speech, language”), from Proto-Indo-European *spereg-, *spreg- (“to make a sound”). Cognate with Dutch spraak (“speech”), German Sprache (“language, speech”). More at speak.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?spi?t?/
• Rhymes: -i?t?

Noun

speech (countable and uncountable, plural speeches)

1. (uncountable) The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the ability to speak or to use vocalizations to communicate.
2. (countable) A session of speaking, especially a long oral message given publicly by one person.

   Synonyms: monologue, oration, soliloquy

   • 1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Young Clergyman

     The constant design of both these orators, in all their speeches, was to drive some one particular point.
3. A style of speaking.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:speech
4. (grammar) Speech reported in writing; see direct speech, reported speech
5. A dialect or language.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:language
6. Talk; mention; rumour.

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

• speak

Translations

Verb

speech (third-person singular simple present speeches, present participle speeching, simple past and past participle speeched)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To make a speech; to harangue.
   • 1711, Jonathan Swift, An Excellent New Song

     I'll speech against peace while Dismal's my name, / And be a true whig, while I'm Not-in-game.

Derived terms

• bespeech

Anagrams

• cheeps

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English speech.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spit?/

Noun

speech m (plural speechen or speeches, diminutive speechje n)

1. speech, oration (oral monologic address of some length)

   redevoering (“toespraak”)

Derived terms

• speechen

Anagrams

• scheep

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spit?/

Noun

speech m (plural speechs)

1. An informal speech

Synonyms

• allocution

English

Etymology

From Middle English byword, byworde (“proverb”), from Old English b?word, b?wyrde (“proverb, household word", also "adverb”), from Proto-Germanic *b?wurdij?, equivalent to by- +? word. Compare Latin proverbium, which byword may possibly be a translation of. Cognate with Old High German p?wurti (“proverb”). Compare also Old English b?spel (“proverb, example”), b?cwide (“byword, proverb, tale, fable”), Dutch bijwoord (“adverb”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ba?.w?(?)d/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?ba?.w?d/

Noun

byword (plural bywords)

1. A proverb or proverbial expression, common saying; a frequently used word or phrase.
2. A characteristic word or expression; a word or phrase associated with a person or group.
3. Someone or something that stands as an example (i.e. metonymically) for something else, by having some of that something's characteristic traits.
4. An object of notoriety or contempt, scorn or derision.
   • 1611, King James Version, Job 17:6:

     He hath made me also a byword of the people ...
5. A nickname or epithet.

Translations

See also

• bispel
• byspel

Further reading

• byword at OneLook Dictionary Search

Middle English

Alternative forms

• biword, by-word, byworde, biworde, bywoorde

Etymology

From Old English b?word, modified from earlier b?wyrde, from Proto-Germanic *b?wurdij?; equivalent to bi- +? word.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi??wurd/, /bi??w?rd/, /bi??w??rd/

Noun

byword

1. byword

Descendants

• English: byword

References

• “b?-w?rd, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 27 February 2020.