Rhetoric is the art of using language in a skillful way to persuade, influence, or impress others. Sometimes people use the word negatively to mean speech that sounds good but may not be honest or meaningful.
From Old French *rethorique*, from Latin *rhetorica*, from Greek *rhētorikē (tekhnē)* “(art) of oratory,” from *rhētōr* “public speaker.” It was a central subject in ancient Greek and Roman education.
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