Word
discourse
Meanings
Spoken or written communication about a subject, especially serious or formal discussion.
The way language is used and the ideas are framed within a particular group, institution, or field (often in academic analysis).
Definition
Discourse is spoken or written communication about a topic, especially in a serious or formal way.
Discourse refers to communication that develops ideas through speech or writing, often in a structured or thoughtful way. It can describe serious discussion in public life, education, or the media. In academic contexts, it also means the language and ways of thinking used in a particular field or community.
Examples
- The professor encouraged respectful discourse, even when the class strongly disagreed.
- I found the discourse in that documentary more nuanced than the headlines suggested.
- In your essay, the discourse shifts abruptly from personal narrative to policy critique.
- She studies how political discourse shapes public attitudes toward migration.
- They criticized the online discourse for rewarding outrage over careful reasoning.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse discourse with discussion and miss that discourse can also mean broader patterns of language and framing in a field.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …