Elocutionist

/ˌɛloʊkjuːˈʃənɪst/ noun

Definition

An expert or specialist in elocution; a professional speaker who delivers carefully rehearsed speeches with studied expression and dramatic effect.

Etymology

From elocution plus the suffix -ist (one who practices or specializes in). This term became common in the 18th-19th centuries during the height of elocution's popularity.

Kelly Says

Elocutionists were the influencers of the 1800s—they'd memorize epic poems and perform them with such dramatic flair that audiences would travel miles to hear them recite Shakespeare!

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