Word
utterance
Phoneticsut·ter·ance, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈətɝəns/
UK/ˈʌtəɹəns/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a single act of speaking, such as a word, a sentence, or a sound. It can also mean something that is said or written.
n. an instance of speech or writing; a single act of vocalising. In linguistics, it refers to a stretch of speech that is treated as a single unit for analysis.
Examples
“The child's first utterance was 'mama'.”
“The linguist recorded every utterance of the local dialect to study how the language was changing over time.”
“While the speaker intended to convey a simple apology, the specific choice of words in that utterance led to a significant misunderstanding between the two parties.”
Examples
simple
“The child's first utterance was 'mama'.”
contextual
“The linguist recorded every utterance of the local dialect to study how the language was changing over time.”
complex
“While the speaker intended to convey a simple apology, the specific choice of words in that utterance led to a significant misunderstanding between the two parties.”
Real-World Examples
“Klopp said he believed there was no point in giving room to “such people and their utterances”, dismissing them as “complete nonsense”.” “The only public utterance about the event has been from Kelce himself, who said the wedding had been “the best night of my life”, which was “full of a lot of celebration”.” “Many of these utterances, such as about golf or his wealth or whether it snowed at one of his rallies, sound relatively trifling.” Etymology
From Middle English utteraunce, outeraunce; equivalent to utter + -ance.
From Middle English outraunce, utteraunce, from Old French outrance (see outrance).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/utterance