soliloquy

noun

so·​lil·​o·​quy sə-ˈli-lə-kwē 

plural soliloquies

1

: the act of talking to oneself

2

: a poem, discourse, or utterance of a character in a drama that has the form of a monologue or gives the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections

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Soliloquy vs. Monologue

Soliloquy and monologue cover very similar ground, but there are some important differences between the two words. Soliloquy (from the Latin solus “alone” and loqui “to speak”) at its most basic level refers to the act of talking to oneself, and more specifically denotes the solo utterance of an actor in a drama. It tends to be used of formal or literary expressions, such as Hamlet’s soliloquies. Monologue (from Greek monos "alone" and legein "to speak") may also refer to a dramatic scene in which an actor soliloquizes, but it has other meanings as well. To a stand-up comedian, monologue denotes a comic routine. To a bored listener, it signifies a long speech uttered by someone who has too much to say.

Examples of soliloquy in a Sentence

But if it is hard for the theatergoer to catch all the meanings in Macbeth's rippling soliloquies, then how much harder is that task when Shakespeare seems unable or unwilling to unpack his obscurities. —James Wood, New Republic, 26 June 2000

A funny thing happened to Billy Joel on the way to the recording studio recently. "I was walking down the street," he says, "and there was this big guy with long, stringy, greasy hair just talking to the air—screaming, actually. He was in the middle of this angry soliloquy when he looked at me, stopped and said in a regular voice, 'Hey, Billy, how ya doin'?' And then he went right back into his tirade." —Elysa Gardner, Rolling Stone, 10 June 1993

After Allen left, what became known as "The Tonight Show" fell into the hands of a genuine original. Jack Paar was an eminently normal-looking man, a former G.I. entertainer who planted himself at a desk instead of scampering around like Allen had. He would begin his shows in a low, well-modulated voice, exuding a dangerous calm. Then, periodically, but never predictably, he would lurch into disgruntled, pathetic soliloquies, decrying some indignity visited upon him by the network or the press. —Alex Ross, New Republic, 8 Nov. 1993

Recent Examples on the Web

Paradoxically, given the co-lead casting of a music superstar, the majority of the numbers are Arthur’s soliloquies, indicating his complete detachment from the reality of a trial in which the prosecution is seeking the death penalty. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2024

That’s also the case at news conferences, in which Harbaugh’s stream-of-consciousness soliloquies and unusual word choices often make reporters glance at one another with amusement. —Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024

Since one page roughly equals one minute of screen time, a three-page monologue basically means a three-minute speech — which can feel like an eternity for an actor on camera giving a solo soliloquy. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Aug. 2024

There’s a bit of theatre to this process, in which a cast of supposedly regular people—cabdrivers, people in diners, truck drivers, elementary-school teachers—is paraded upon a stage so that each can deliver a soliloquy about the candidates and the state of the nation. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin soliloquium, from Latin solus alone + loqui to speak

First Known Use

circa 1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

soliloquy

noun

so·​lil·​o·​quy sə-ˈlil-ə-kwē 

plural soliloquies

1

: the act of talking to oneself

2

: a dramatic speech that represents a series of unspoken thoughts