declamation

[ dek-luh-mey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or art of declaiming.
2. exercise in oratory or elocution, as in the recitation of a classic speech.
3. speech or writing for oratorical effect.
4. Music. the proper enunciation of the words, as in recitative.

declamation

/ ˌdɛkləˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. a rhetorical or emotional speech, made esp in order to protest or condemn; tirade
2. a speech, verse, etc, that is or can be spoken
3. the act or art of declaiming
4. music the artistry or technique involved in singing recitative passages

Word History and Origins

Origin of declamation¹

1350–1400; < Latin dēclāmātiōn- (stem of dēclāmātiō ), equivalent to dēclāmāt ( us ) (past participle of dēclāmāre to declaim; -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

The lyrical declamation has inspired luminaries ranging from Kurt Vonnegut to Robert Frost.

From The Daily Beast

As Kenney launched into the work, a humorous declamation from Thurber, one of them interrupted with a criticism.

From The Daily Beast

What Verrilli did not do is “rise” to the level of angry declamation coming at him from the other side of the bench.

From The Daily Beast

The vociferous tones pierce my ears, and my heart bleeds at his meaningless declamation.

From Project Gutenberg

Amplification, declamation, and exaggeration were at all times the faults of the Greeks, excepting Demosthenes and Aristotle.

From Project Gutenberg

Cobden did the reasoning, Bright supplied the declamation, but like Demosthenes he mingled argument with appeal.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Bowman looked at me sharply for a moment, and then passed in a flash from solemn sympathy to impassioned declamation.

From Project Gutenberg

But this is a piece of simple and vigorous declamation; very fine, no doubt but rather rhetoric than poetry.

From Project Gutenberg