First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1discourse
noun dis·course \ˈdis-ˌkȯrs, dis-ˈ\
: the use of words to exchange thoughts and ideas
: a long talk or piece of writing about a subject
Full Definition of DISCOURSE
1
archaic : the capacity of orderly thought or procedure : rationality
2
: verbal interchange of ideas; especially : conversation
3
a : formal and orderly and usually extended expression of thought on a subject b : connected speech or writing c : a linguistic unit (as a conversation or a story) larger than a sentence
4
obsolete : social familiarity
5
: a mode of organizing knowledge, ideas, or experience that is rooted in language and its concrete contexts (as history or institutions) <critical discourse>
See discourse defined for English-language learners
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Examples of DISCOURSE
- Hans Selye, a Czech physician and biochemist at the University of Montreal, took these ideas further, introducing the term “stress” (borrowed from metallurgy) to describe the way trauma caused overactivity of the adrenal gland, and with it a disruption of bodily equilibrium. In the most extreme case, Selye argued, stress could wear down the body's adaptation mechanisms, resulting in death. His narrative fit well into the cultural discourse of the cold-war era, where, Harrington writes, many saw themselves as “broken by modern life.” —Jerome Groopman, New York Times Book Review, 27 Jan. 2008
- Such is the exquisite refinement of American political discourse in the early 21st century. —Brad Friedman, Mother Jones, January & February 2006
- Literature records itself, shows how its records might be broken, and how the assumptions of a given discourse or culture might thereby be challenged. Shakespeare is, again, the great example. —Richard Poirier, Raritan Reading, 1990
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Origin of DISCOURSE
Middle English discours, from Medieval Latin & Late Latin discursus; Medieval Latin, argument, from Late Latin, conversation, from Latin, act of running about, from discurrere to run about, from dis- + currere to run — more at car
Related to DISCOURSE
- Synonyms
- chat, colloquy, converse, dialogue (also dialog), conversation, discussion, exchange
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
Rhymes with DISCOURSE
clotheshorse, concourse, crash course, dark horse, dawn horse, dead horse, deforce, divorce, dray horse, endorse, enforce, extrorse, golf course, gut course, high horse, introrse, iron horse, midcourse, of course, Old Norse, one-horse, packhorse, perforce, post-horse, racecourse, racehorse, recourse, redhorse, remorse, resource, retrorse, sawhorse, sea horse, stringcourse, trial horse, unhorse, warhorse, wheelhorse, Whitehorse, workhorse
2discourse
verb dis·course \dis-ˈkȯrs, ˈdis-ˌ\
: to talk about something especially for a long time
dis·courseddis·cours·ing
Full Definition of DISCOURSE
intransitive verb
1
: to express oneself especially in oral discourse (see 1discourse)
transitive verb
archaic : to give forth : utter
— dis·cours·er noun
See discourse defined for English-language learners
Examples of DISCOURSE
- The most energetic ingredients in a Ken Burns documentary are the intervals of commentary, the talking heads of historians, sociologists, and critics coming at us in living color and discoursing volubly. —Richard Alleva, Commonweal, 22 Feb. 2002
- Clarke had discoursed knowledgeably on the implications of temperature for apples; it was too cool here for … Winesaps, or Granny Smiths, none of which mature promptly enough to beat autumn's first freeze. —David Guterson, Harper's, October 1999
- … Bill Clinton was up in the sky-box suites, giving interviews. So The Baltimore Sun's guy on the job was Carl Cannon and he took notes while Clinton discoursed on the importance of Ripken's streak, the value of hard work, the lessons communicated to our youth in a nation troubled by blah blah blah. —Richard Ben Cramer, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 1999
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Origin of DISCOURSE
(see 1discourse)
First Known Use: 1559
DISCOURSE Defined for Kids
1discourse
noun dis·course \ˈdis-ˌkȯrs\
2discourse
verb dis·course \dis-ˈkȯrs\
dis·courseddis·cours·ing
Definition of DISCOURSE for Kids
: to talk especially for a long time
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