colloquy

noun

col·​lo·​quy ˈkä-lə-kwē How to pronounce colloquy (audio)
plural colloquies
1
: conversation, dialogue
a colloquy between senators
2
: a high-level serious discussion : conference
a colloquy between the trial judge and defendant

Did you know?

Colloquy may make you think of colloquial, and there is indeed a connection between the two words. As a matter of fact, colloquy is the parent word from which colloquial was coined in the mid-18th century. Colloquy itself, though now the less common of the two words, has been a part of the English language since the 15th century. It is a descendant of Latin loquī, meaning "to speak." Other descendants of loquī in English include eloquent, loquacious, ventriloquism, and soliloquy, as well as elocution and interlocutor.

Examples of colloquy in a Sentence

attended a colloquy on economic globalization the subject of the spirited colloquy was the disputed authorship of the plays attributed to Shakespeare
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
State of play: The concrete barriers guarding the steep switchbacks above Wasatch Mountain State Park now display a colloquy of pro- and anti-Trump graffiti. Erin Alberty, Axios, 13 Aug. 2024 These artist combinations – or colloquies, as Viveros-Fauné calls them – are especially effective at Stelo Arts and Parallax Art Center. Briana Miller | , oregonlive, 11 Sep. 2023 Charlie and Joanie’s colloquy in the thoroughfare is also a mutual reassurance that the other’s dream has value. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2021 And the superb Baryshnikov somehow turns his body to stone, ending the colloquy. Joan Acocella, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2020 While there is inevitably a performative dimension to the colloquy between these two figures who have spent so many years on the public stage, Obama and Springsteen are also both deeply introspective. BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2021 Milius concentrates on conservative patriots, yet her colloquy of all those involved in creating or fighting the coup highlights the varied countenances, plus their camera-ready expressions, that reveal an unexpectedly broad, adversarial America. Armond White, National Review, 9 Dec. 2020 Leach said during a news conference colloquy with this New York Times reporter, drawing some Mississippi State faithful to Twitter’s ramparts. Alan Blinder, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020 An additional 10,000 have since listened to the recording of the colloquy with Joyce Barnathan, president of the International Center for Journalists. Peter Coy, Bloomberg.com, 16 May 2020

Word History

Etymology

Latin colloquium, from colloqui to converse, from com- + loqui to speak

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of colloquy was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near colloquy

Cite this Entry

“Colloquy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colloquy. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

colloquy

noun
col·​lo·​quy ˈkäl-ə-kwē How to pronounce colloquy (audio)
plural colloquies
: conversation
especially : a formal conversation or conference

Legal Definition

colloquy

noun
col·​lo·​quy ˈkä-lə-kwē How to pronounce colloquy (audio)
: a discussion during a hearing between the judge and the defendant usually to ascertain the defendant's understanding of his or her rights and of the court proceedings

More from Merriam-Webster on colloquy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!