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discourse definition

dis·course (dis′kôrs′; also, & for v. usually, dis kôrs′)

noun

  1. communication of ideas, information, etc., esp. by talking; conversation
  2. a long and formal treatment of a subject, in speech or writing; lecture; treatise; dissertation
  3. Archaic ability to reason; rationality

Etymology: ME & OFr discours < L discursus, discourse < pp. of discurrere, to run to and fro < dis-, from, apart + currere, to run: see current

intransitive verb discoursed -·coursed′, discoursing -·cours′·ing

  1. to carry on conversation; talk; confer
  2. to speak or write (on or upon a subject) formally and at some length

transitive verb

Archaic to utter or tell

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

discourse Synonyms

discourse

n.

dialogue, talk, lecture, dissertation; see conversation, discussion 1, exposition 2, speech 2, 3.


discourse

v.

treat, converse, lecture; see address 2, discuss, talk 1. See syn. study at speak.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

discourse Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • globalization: Discourses of globalization have been engaged with throughout our subject areas.

Converse of object

  • dominate: Here is an extraordinarily gifted writer working his way inside a language that has dominated public discourse in the Republic for three decades.

Adjective modifier

  • dominant: The article begins with a thematic overview of some of the dominant discourses of play.

Modifies a noun

  • connective: This paper presents two experiments on the semantic similarity of discourse connectives.

Noun used with modifier

  • postmodern: Subjectivity is fractured and connects with others, but Haraway does not lose the agency - as often happens in postmodern discourse.
discourse usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

discourse quotes

On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provisions for discourse.

-Austen,Jane

Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

Miss not the discourse of the elders: for theyalso learned of their fathers, and of them thou shalt learn understanding, and to give answer as need requireth.

-Bible (Apocrypha)

discourse quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"discourse." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/discourse>

APA Style

discourse. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/discourse

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