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sermocination (n.)

1510s, "a talk," from Latin sermonationem (nominative sermonatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of sermonari "talk, discourse, harangue," from sermo (see sermon). From 1753 in rhetoric, "a form of prosopopoeia in which the speaker, having addressed a real or imaginary hearer with a remark or especially a question, immediately answers for the hearer." Related: Sermocinator, agent noun; sermocinatrix "a female talker" (1620s).

Entries related to sermocination

sermon (n.)

c. 1200, sarmun, "a discourse upon a text of scripture; what is preached," from Anglo-French sermun, Old French sermon "speech, words, discourse; church sermon, homily" (10c.), from Latin sermonem (nominative sermo) "continued speech, conversation; common talk, rumor; learned talk, discourse; manner of speaking, literary style," originally "a stringing together of words," from PIE *ser-mo-, suffixed form of root *ser- (2) "to line up."

Main modern sense in English and French is elliptical for Latin sermo religiosus. In transferred (non-religious) use from 1590s. The Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew v-vii and Luke vi. Related: Sermonic; sermonical; sermonish.

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Dictionary entries near sermocination

serine

seriocomic

serious

seriously

seriousness

sermocination

sermon

sermonette

sermonize

serology

serotine

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