diction

noun

dic·​tion ˈdik-shən 

1

a

: vocal expression : enunciation

b

: pronunciation and enunciation of words in singing

2

: choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness

3

obsolete : verbal description

dictional

ˈdik-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

dictionally

ˈdik-sh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

Did you know?

When your English teacher complains about some of the words you chose to use in an essay, she's talking about your diction. She may also use the term when commenting on the word choices made by a poet, and why a particular word was the best one possible in a particular line. But the second meaning of diction is just as common, and your English teacher might use that one on you as well, especially when she's asked you to read something aloud and you mumble your way through it.

Synonyms

• articulation
• enunciation

Examples of diction in a Sentence

He has wisely chosen to render almost all the material in what novelists and writers of creative nonfiction like to call "close third person," approximating the diction and consciousness of his characters but retaining the freedom to wander into the bigger picture. —Thomas Mallon, New York Times Book Review, 22 Feb. 2009

No one is better than Didion at using flatness of affect and formality of diction to convey seething anger and disdain. —New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2001

When he sang Anatol in the world premiere of Samuel Barber's Vanessa, in 1958, Gedda's performance received high marks for impeccable diction and enunciation—in that mostly American cast, he was the only principal whose English could be understood. —Patrick J. Smith, Opera News, November 1999

The actor's diction was so poor I could hardly understand what he was saying.

The student's essay was full of careless diction.

Recent Examples on the Web

Solange’s ornate diction and rhythmic delivery reveal the imprint of Max Eggers’ collaboration with his brother Robert on the script for 2019’s The Lighthouse, although to more frequently humorous effect in this case. —Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Walz let Vance get away with Stop the Steal diction and spin the bottle to make censorship and cancel culture Harris’ fault. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024

Backstage at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, his thick, Appalachian accent soars over the more Midwestern diction prevalent in the Rocky Mountain area. —Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 24 Sep. 2024

Future Islands These Baltimore synth-pop revivalists have one of modern music’s most distinctive vocalists in Samuel T. Herring, who enunciates like David Bowie with a diction coach. —Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "word, phrase," going back to Middle English dicion "saying," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French dictyoun "word," borrowed from Latin dictiōn-, dictiō "act of speaking, speech, (in grammar) word, expression, form," from dic-, variant stem of dīcere "to talk, speak, say, utter" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns; dīcere going back to Indo-European *dei̯ḱ- "show, point out," whence also, with varying ablaut, Germanic *tīh-a- "point out" (whence Old English tēon "to accuse," Old Saxon aftīhan "to deny," Old High German zīhan "to accuse," Old Norse tjā, tēa "to show, report," Gothic gateihan "to announce, tell"), Greek deíknȳmi, deiknýnai "to show, point out," Sanskrit diśati "(s/he) shows, exhibits"

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

diction

noun

dic·​tion ˈdik-shən 

1

: choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness : wording

careless diction in the student's essay

2

: quality of vocal expression : enunciation

a good singer with excellent diction