logorrhoea: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (C2+)Formal, Technical (Medical/Psychological), Literary, Pejorative
Quick answer
What does “logorrhoea” mean?
An excessive, uncontrollable flow of words.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An excessive, uncontrollable flow of words; extreme and often incoherent talkativeness.
A condition of voluble, repetitive, or meaningless speech, often used pejoratively to describe verbose writing or speech that lacks substance. In psychiatry, it can be a symptom of conditions like mania or Wernicke's aphasia.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The primary difference is spelling: British English retains the original 'logorrhoea' (with the digraph 'oe'). American English simplifies it to 'logorrhea'.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties—strongly pejorative, implying a pathological or highly undesirable level of wordiness.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both varieties, but the American spelling is more common globally due to US publishing influence.
Grammar
How to Use “logorrhoea” in a Sentence
[Subject] suffers from/exhibits/displays logorrhoea.The [speech/document] was a classic case of logorrhoea.a logorrhoea of [noun, e.g., excuses, jargon]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “logorrhoea” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A. The word is a noun. One might 'logorrhoeate' humorously, but it is non-standard.
American English
- N/A. The word is a noun. One might 'logorrheate' humorously, but it is non-standard.
adverb
British English
- He spoke logorrhoeically for the entire session.
- N/A – extremely rare.
American English
- She answered logorrheically, circling the point endlessly.
- N/A – extremely rare.
adjective
British English
- His logorrhoeic monologue lasted an hour.
- A logorrhoeic style of writing.
American English
- Her logorrheic explanation was impossible to follow.
- The politician's logorrheic speech.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically to describe overly long, jargon-filled reports or meetings that lack clear points. 'The CEO's logorrhoea in the quarterly address confused more than it clarified.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, political science, or linguistics to critique overly dense, pretentious, or circular prose. 'The thesis was marred by academic logorrhoea, burying its argument under needless terminology.'
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. If used, it is for humorous or exaggerated effect to complain about someone talking too much. 'After his third coffee, his anecdote descended into pure logorrhoea.'
Technical
A clinical term in neurology and psychiatry for pressured, rapid, often incoherent speech observed in manic episodes or certain aphasias.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “logorrhoea”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “logorrhoea”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “logorrhoea”
- Misspelling: 'logorrhea' (US) vs 'logorrhoea' (UK).
- Mispronunciation: stressing the first syllable (LOG-o-) instead of the third (-REE-).
- Using it to describe merely energetic or positive speech, missing its negative/pathological nuance.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Talkative' is neutral or can be positive. 'Logorrhoea' is always negative and implies an excessive, often compulsive or pathological flow of words that is tiresome, incoherent, or lacking in substance.
It is a formal, technical, and highly critical term. Using it directly to describe someone's speech in everyday conversation would be perceived as a severe insult or a very pretentious put-down.
Yes, while its core and clinical use pertains to speech, it is commonly extended metaphorically to critique verbose, repetitive, or bloated writing.
It is pronounced /ˌlɒɡ.əˈriː.ə/, roughly 'log-uh-REE-uh'. The 'rh' is silent, and the 'oe' is pronounced as a simple 'e' sound.
An excessive, uncontrollable flow of words.
Logorrhoea is usually formal, technical (medical/psychological), literary, pejorative in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He/She] has verbal diarrhoea (common idiom conveying a similar, less clinical idea).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'logo-' (word) + '-rrhoea' (excessive flow, as in diarrhoea). It's a 'word-flow' problem.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORDS ARE A FLUID / SPEECH IS AN UNCONTROLLABLE BODILY EXCRETION (negative).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'logorrhoea' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?