dialogue

1 of 2

noun

di·​a·​logue ˈdī-ə-ˌlȯg How to pronounce dialogue (audio)
-ˌläg
variants or less commonly dialog
1
: a written composition in which two or more characters are represented as conversing
2
a
: a conversation between two or more persons
also : a similar exchange between a person and something else (such as a computer)
b
: an exchange of ideas and opinions
organized a series of dialogues on human rights
c
: a discussion between representatives of parties to a conflict that is aimed at resolution
a constructive dialogue between loggers and environmentalists
3
: the conversational element of literary or dramatic composition
very little dialogue in this film
writes realistic dialogue
4
: a musical composition for two or more parts suggestive of a conversation

dialogue

2 of 2

verb

dialogued; dialoguing

transitive verb

: to express in dialogue
… and dialogued for him what he would say …Shakespeare

intransitive verb

: to take part in a dialogue
managers dialoguing with employees

Did you know?

Dialectic: Logic Through Conversation

Dialectic is a term used in philosophy, and the fact that it is closely connected to the ideas of Socrates and Plato is completely logical—even from an etymological point of view. Plato’s famous dialogues frequently presented Socrates playing a leading role, and dialogue comes from the Greek roots dia- (“through” or “across”) and -logue (“discourse” or “talk”). Dialect and dialectic come from dialecktos (“conversation” or “dialect”) and ultimately back to the Greek word dialegesthai, meaning “to converse.”

Conversation or dialogue was indeed at the heart of the “Socratic method,” through which Socrates would ask probing questions which cumulatively revealed his students’ unsupported assumptions and misconceptions. The goal, according to the definition in our Unabridged Dictionary, was to “elicit a clear and consistent expression of something supposed to be implicitly known by all rational beings.”

Other philosophers had specific uses of the term dialectic, including Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Kantianism, Hegelianism, and Marxism. Asking a series of questions was considered by Socrates a method of “giving birth” to the truth, and a related word, maieutic, defined as “relating to or resembling the Socratic method of eliciting new ideas from another,” comes from the Greek word meaning “of midwifery.”

Examples of dialogue in a Sentence

Noun He is an expert at writing dialogue. There's very little dialogue in the film. The best part of the book is the clever dialogue. Students were asked to read dialogues from the play. The two sides involved in the labor dispute are trying to establish a dialogue. The two parties have been in constant dialogue with each other.
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.
Noun
Companies with post-retirement health care plans would do well to have an honest dialogue with their employees and shareholders on how to manage these spiraling costs. Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Engaging in open dialogue can lead to deeper understanding and healing. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Some parts seemed easier to dialogue with than others. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023 And do the living and dead continue to dialogue? Hamilton Cain, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2022 See all Example Sentences for dialogue 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English dialoge, from Anglo-French dialogue, from Latin dialogus, from Greek dialogos, from dialegesthai to converse, from dia- + legein to speak — more at legend

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dialogue was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near dialogue

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

dialogue

noun
di·​a·​logue
variants also dialog
ˈdī-ə-ˌlȯg,
-ˌläg
1
: a conversation between two or more persons
2
: conversation given in a written story or play

More from Merriam-Webster on dialogue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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