Wordiyo
The Art of Words · Lesson 1 of 72Next

In this lesson: Own the loqu/locut family — the talkative root behind a whole cluster of GRE speech words.

loqu

speak, talkloquloquilocutRoot page

About This Root

From Latin loquī (to speak), past participle locūtum. Produces words about speech and speaking style: eloquent (speaking out well), loquacious (excessively talkative), colloquial (conversational), elocution (the art of clear speech), soliloquy (speaking alone), and interlocutor (one who speaks between, a conversation partner).

Focus words· 8

loquaciousadj.
loqu
+
-acious

Tending to talk a great deal; very chatty

eloquencen.
e-
+
loqu
+
-ence

The ability to speak or write in a fluent and persuasive way

colloquialadj.
col-
+
loqu
+
-ial

Characteristic of informal everyday speech; a colloquial expression

Quick check

In loquacious and eloquence, the root loqu means…

interlocutorn.
inter-
+
locut
+
-or

A person who participates in a conversation or dialogue

circumlocution/.sә:kәmlә'kju:ʃәn/n.
circum-
+
locu
+
-tion

An indirect, wordy way of expressing something

elocutionn.
e-
+
locut
+
-ion

The art of skilled public speaking with controlled voice and gesture

Quick check

circum- (around) + locution (speaking) → "talking around the point instead of at it." Which word?

colloquyn.
col-
+
loqu
+
-y

A formal conversation or conference

colloquiumn.
col-
+
loqu
+
-ium

An academic seminar or conference

Extended family · 8 words
soliloquizesoliloquistcircumlocutorycolloquialismeloquentlocutionmagniloquentobloquy

See the root page for the full family.

Coach note

loqu (before vowels) and locut (in nouns) are one root: loqui, to speak. GRE loves this family because each word encodes a style of speaking: loquacious (too much), colloquial (casual), circumlocution (roundabout). Ask of every word: how is the speaking being done?

Practice

Lesson quiz1 / 5

What does the root loqu/locut mean?