Diction
noun /ˈdɪk.ʃən/ — The choice and use of words in speech or writing
Definition
The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing — the specific vocabulary deployed by a writer or speaker and the way in which words are physically delivered.
Beyond the definition
The vocabulary that reveals the person. Diction is not just what you say — it is which words you reach for, which you avoid, which you didn't know you had a preference about.
Origin & history
From Latin 'dictio' (speaking, speech) — from 'dicere' (to say). Related to 'dictate', 'dictionary', 'diction'. The saying — the specific word chosen to do the saying.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her diction was precise — every word chosen rather than arrived at, every sentence knowing where it was going.
The diction of the contract was deliberately plain — legal language made simple enough to be understood by the people it would bind.
Good diction in fiction is invisible — you notice the character, not the words the character uses to reveal themselves.
Synonyms
vocabulary, word choice, style, phrasing, expression
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Chatting in Local Cafe
Two friends sit in a local cafe, chatting with animated expressions and hand gestures in a comfortable setting.
The natural, expressive way they speak, using specific vocabulary and gestures, highlights the personal nature of their diction, the way words are physically delivered.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration