Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
Speaking a language one does not know, or speaking elaborate but apparently meaningless speech, while in a trance-like state (or, supposedly, under the influence of a deity or spirits); speaking in tongues.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: gift of tongues, glossolaly, speaking in tongues, speaking with tongues
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Synonym of xenoglossy (“knowledge of a language one has never learned”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: xenoglossy
Antonyms: none provided
noun
repetitive nonmeaningful speech (especially that associated with a trance state or religious fervor)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pathology
History
From glosso- + -lalia, from Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ (glôssă, “tongue; language”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glōghs) + λᾰλῐᾱ́ (lălĭā́, “talking; form of speech, dialect”) (from λᾰ́λος (lắlos, “talkative”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns)).
Across languages
31 source translations are retained for this English entry.
