speaking

Meanings

Adjective

• Used in speaking.
• Expressive; eloquent.
• Involving speaking.
• Having the ability of speech.

Noun

• One's ability to communicate vocally in a given language.
• The act of communicating vocally.
• An oral recitation of e.g. a story.

Verb

• Present participle of speak

Related

Opposite words

• unspeaking
• nonspeaking

Origin

• From Middle English spekinge, spekynge, spekinde, spekende, spekande, spekand, from Old English specende, sprecende, from Proto-Germanic *sprekandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *sprekaną. Equivalent to speak + -ing. Cognate with Scots speikand, speikin, Saterland Frisian spreekend, West Frisian sprekkend, Dutch sprekend, German Low German sprekend,
• German sprechend.
• From Middle English speking, spekinge, equivalent to speak + -ing.