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loquacious

adjective
lo·​qua·​cious | \ lō-ˈkwā-shəs How to pronounce loquacious (audio) \

Definition of loquacious

1 : full of excessive talk : wordy
2 : given to fluent or excessive talk : garrulous
Other Words from loquacious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Speaking About the Meaning of Loquacious Example Sentences Learn More about loquacious

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Other Words from loquacious

loquaciously adverb
loquaciousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for loquacious

talkative, loquacious, garrulous, voluble mean given to talk or talking. talkative may imply a readiness to engage in talk or a disposition to enjoy conversation. a talkative neighbor loquacious suggests the power of expressing oneself articulately, fluently, or glibly. a loquacious spokesperson garrulous implies prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity. garrulous traveling companions voluble suggests a free, easy, and unending loquacity. a voluble raconteur

Speaking About the Meaning of Loquacious

When you hear or say loquacious, you might notice that the word has a certain poetic ring. In fact, poets quickly snatched up loquacious soon after its debut in 1656 and, with poetic license, stretched its meaning to include such things as the chattering of birds and the babbling of brooks. In less poetic uses, loquacious usually means "excessively talkative." The ultimate source of all this chattiness is loqui, a Latin verb meaning "to speak." Other words descended from loqui include colloquial, eloquent, soliloquy, and ventriloquism.

Examples of loquacious in a Sentence

… long-cultivated dislikes and resentments, combined with a general expectation of coming apocalypse. He talked about these topics in a manner that managed to be tight-lipped and loquacious at the same time. — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 22 & 29 Dec. 2003 … the flaw of the genre is not in betraying the loquacious John Williams and the chatty Father Foucquet, but in failing to schedule an interview with the reticent Eunice Williams and the tongue-tied John Hu. — Jill Lepore, Journal of American History, June 2001 With a wonderful memory for detail, this talkative woman—who my father said never forgets anything—became truly loquacious. — Joseph A. Amato, Dust, 2000 a loquacious and glib politician the loquacious host of a radio talk show
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Since then, the public hasn’t heard from the normally loquacious Crosby. — Shirley Leung, BostonGlobe.com, "The former gaming commission chairman offers first impression of Encore: ‘Holy cow!’," 7 Aug. 2019 Alicia is the opposite: loquacious, vivacious, and sometimes deliberately outrageous. — Julia Fesenthal, Vogue, "Inside the Jazz Household of Jason Moran and Alicia Hall Moran," 23 Aug. 2019 Berman was thrilling to talk to—loquacious and weird. — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, "The Perfect Little Lines of David Berman," 10 Aug. 2019 Don’t look for the typically loquacious Gov. Gavin Newsom to take a position yet on AB5, the state legislation would turn Uber and Lyft drivers and other gig workers into employees. — Joe Garofoli, SFChronicle.com, "Gavin Newsom dodges taking a stand on California’s gig-worker bill," 25 June 2019 In parallel, pioneering studies have begun to elucidate how the brain tracks a beat, work that may help corroborate that rhythm is not restricted to the planet’s most loquacious creatures. — Quanta Magazine, "The Beasts That Keep the Beat," 22 Mar. 2016 Twelve Whiskey, the loquacious Irishman’s burgeoning liquor venture. — Greg Beacham, The Seattle Times, "Conor McGregor announces retirement on social media," 26 Mar. 2019 This flight of fancy resulted in an almost complete gag order placed on the wildly loquacious Stone. — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "The Week in Washington: “I Think My Language is Very Nice”," 24 Feb. 2019 Reva is as loquacious as Alma, and as fawning toward the novel’s couch-ridden narrator as Alma is toward her patient. — New York Times, "A Woman Sleeps a Year Away in Ottessa Moshfegh’s Darkly Comic New Novel," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'loquacious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of loquacious

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for loquacious

Latin loquāc-, loquāx "talkative, verbose" (from loquī "to talk, speak" + -āc-, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance) + -ious — more at eloquent, audacious

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More Definitions for loquacious

loquacious

adjective
How to pronounce loquacious (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of loquacious

: liking to talk and talking smoothly and easily

See the full definition for loquacious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on loquacious

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with loquacious

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for loquacious

Spanish Central: Translation of loquacious

Nglish: Translation of loquacious for Spanish Speakers

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