public-speaking

public-speaking — noun

1. the skill or activity of giving formal talks before an audience, especially in a

1.nounB1
Definition

the skill or activity of giving formal talks before an audience, especially in a professional, academic, or community setting

Example

Ziad felt nervous before his first public‑speaking event at the university.

The workshop helped Manuela improve her public‑speaking skills for client presentations.

collocation: public‑speaking skills

Common collocations
  • public‑speaking skills
  • public‑speaking event
  • public‑speaking experience
  • public‑speaking class
  • public‑speaking anxiety
  • public‑speaking ability
  • do public speaking
  • improve one's public speaking
Synonyms
  • oratory

    more formal and classical; refers to the art of persuasive public speaking, often in political or ceremonial contexts

  • speechmaking

    slightly informal; focuses on the act of delivering speeches rather than the underlying skill

  • presentation skills

    more common in workplace contexts; emphasises structure, slides, and visual aids alongside verbal delivery

Common Mistakes

I have a public speaking tomorrow.
I have a public-speaking event tomorrow.
'public speaking' is a skill or activity, not a countable thing you can 'have'. Use it as an uncountable noun or a compound modifier.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words relate to speaking before an audience, each brings a different focus. Oratory is the most elevated term, traditionally associated with formal, persuasive public speeches in politics or ceremonial settings — think of a statesman's address. Speechmaking is more neutral and everyday; it simply describes the act of delivering a speech, without implying skill level or style. Elocution narrows the focus to clear pronunciation, tone, and physical delivery, often taught as a set of techniques. Rhetoric is broader, covering the entire art of persuasion — including word choice, argument structure, and emotional appeal — not just the delivery itself. In a sentence: 'The senator's oratory moved the crowd,' but 'The course focuses on elocution for actors' and 'Rhetoric helps you build a convincing argument.'

oratory ↗speechmakingelocutionrhetoric ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • do public speaking
  • improve one's public speaking
  • overcome a fear of public speaking
  • gain public-speaking experience

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchOld EnglishEnglish

'Public' comes from Latin 'publicus' (meaning 'of the people') and reached English through Old French 'publique'. 'Speaking' comes from Old English 'specan' (to speak). The two words were combined into the compound 'public speaking' by the 1500s to describe the practice of addressing a gathered audience. The hyphenated form 'public-speaking' became common in modern English as an attributive adjective (as in 'public-speaking class').