peroration
noun
per·o·ra·tion
ˌper-ə-ˈrā-shən 
also ˌpər-
1
: the concluding part of a discourse and especially an oration
2
: a highly rhetorical speech
Did you know?
As you may have already guessed, "peroration" is a relative of "oration." Both words ultimately derive from the Latin orare, meaning "to speak" or "to plead." The direct ancestor of "peroration" is the Latin verb perorare, meaning "to declaim at length or "to wind up an oration." "Perorare," in turn, comes from the combination of "per-" ("through") and "orare." The English language also has the verb "perorate," which means "to deliver a long or grandiloquent speech" or "to offer a concluding part of a speech."
Examples of peroration in a Sentence
We sat through a lengthy peroration on the evils of the government's policies.
gave an eloquent peroration celebrating the nation's long tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism
Recent Examples on the Web
In a climactic peroration, Chaplin finally talks — and talks — in direct address, straight into the camera, delivering an impassioned anti-war, pro-tolerance message.
—
Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
De Gaulle’s peroration got the scene only partly right.
—Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 23 Aug. 2019
And yet virtually nobody credited Putin with savvy for his initial peroration on Russia's ancient history.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
In the second of the two movements, Noseda kept the rhythms and tempo largely straightforward, with little Romantic push-and-pull, creating an appealing, plain-spoken rhetoric that, nevertheless, left the music wanting peroration.
—Matthew Guerrieri, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2020
Bezos rallies the public with passionate peroration and convincing command of detail.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2019
The president’s wintertime inconstancy was a matter of little concern to attendees in Dallas, who enthusiastically cheered Mr. Trump’s perorations on subjects ranging from North Korean peace talks to his vote tally in the Electoral College.
—Alexander Burns, New York Times, 4 May 2018
Reagan said more in his average 35-minute remarks than Bill Clinton ever did in his average 75-minute perorations.
—Andrew Malcolm, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Feb. 2018
Pastor Goff, after joking that all the famous visitors had eaten up his preaching time, brought the theme into his peroration.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 15 Aug. 2016
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
De Gaulle’s peroration got the scene only partly right.
—Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 23 Aug. 2019
And yet virtually nobody credited Putin with savvy for his initial peroration on Russia's ancient history.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
In the second of the two movements, Noseda kept the rhythms and tempo largely straightforward, with little Romantic push-and-pull, creating an appealing, plain-spoken rhetoric that, nevertheless, left the music wanting peroration.
—Matthew Guerrieri, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2020
Bezos rallies the public with passionate peroration and convincing command of detail.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2019
The president’s wintertime inconstancy was a matter of little concern to attendees in Dallas, who enthusiastically cheered Mr. Trump’s perorations on subjects ranging from North Korean peace talks to his vote tally in the Electoral College.
—Alexander Burns, New York Times, 4 May 2018
Reagan said more in his average 35-minute remarks than Bill Clinton ever did in his average 75-minute perorations.
—Andrew Malcolm, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Feb. 2018
Pastor Goff, after joking that all the famous visitors had eaten up his preaching time, brought the theme into his peroration.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 15 Aug. 2016
Dictionary Entries Near peroration
Cite this Entry
“Peroration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peroration. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share