spiel

[ speel, shpeel ]

noun

1. a usually high-flown talk or speech, especially for the purpose of luring people to a movie, a sale, etc.; pitch.

verb (used without object)

1. to speak extravagantly.

spiel

/ ʃpiːl /

noun

1. a glib plausible style of talk, associated esp with salesmen

verb

1. intr to deliver a prepared spiel
2. trusually foll byoff to recite (a prepared oration)

Derived Forms

• ˈspieler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiel¹

First recorded in 1890–95; (for the noun) from German Spiel or Yiddish shpil “play, game”; (for the verb) from German spielen or Yiddish shpiln “to play, gamble”

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiel¹

C19: from German Spiel play

Example Sentences

Given his confident spiel, it is surprising that 13 years after it was founded, Ginkgo can’t name a single significant product that is manufactured and sold using its organisms.

From MIT Technology Review

I’m not going to give you the whole spiel about how humans told stories around fire camps and painted the walls of caves.

From Search Engine Watch

Youngkin made the first comment in direct response to a spiel from McAuliffe touting his record, essentially echoing it as a moderator in an effort to keep the conversation going.

From Washington Post

In tests, cordless vacuums give between 15 and 45 minutes of action, and that doesn’t always correlate with what it says on the box or in the marketing spiel.

From Popular-Science

He calls his motivational spiel about conserving native plants “Tales from the Crypt,” and he chats colorfully about plants and the people who love them.

From Science News

CEO Andrea Lee offers Lloyd Grove a sales spiel, concentration camps not included.

From The Daily Beast

Rather than giving him her usual spiel and urging him to go public, she hides him—in the Rensselaer house with Ben.

From The Daily Beast

When the crew finally reaches the tribe, they give them their spiel.

From The Daily Beast

"Aw, boss, that was part of the spiel," he confessed frankly.

From Project Gutenberg

When Artie goes to a wedding, he records that "there was a long spiel by the high guy in the pulpit."

From Project Gutenberg

You can hand em the spiel you gave me, and see how much they believe of it.

From Project Gutenberg

He'll give you a spiel about his research and ask to measure your brain waves.

From Project Gutenberg

The Germans call it Krug-spiel—which means war-game, and that term has been adopted all over the world.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• song and dance