soliloquy

CEFRC1

/səˈlɪləkwi/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A speech in which a character speaks thoughts aloud while alone.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A speech or written discourse in this form.

Examples

  • By the end of the semester I expect you to have memorized Hamlet's soliloquy.

  • He thinks he's giving a soliloquy.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3
Synonyms
2

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. To issue a soliloquy.

  2. The act of a character speaking to themselves so as to reveal their thoughts to the audience.

More examples

In context

  • At the end of the second act the main villain gave a soliloquy detailing his plans to attack the protagonist.

  • Yet if I were to say […] that Hamlet's soliloquy had been much over-rated, it would not be said, on this account, that I was unable to appreciate Shakespeare.

  • The feeling of Singleton's bosom grew heightened in its tone of melancholy, and a more passionate emphasis of thought broke forth in his half-muttered soliloquy:— ¶"How I remember as I look […]

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

In the play, the main character delivers a famous blank while standing alone on stage.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

1595–1605; From Late Latin sōliloquium in the title of St. Augustine's Soliloquiorum libri duo ("Two Books of Soliloquies"), from sōlus (“only, sole”) + loquor (“to speak”).