Standard Lemma guide

paralanguage

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

Pronunciation

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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The non-verbal elements of speech, and to a limited extent of writing, used to modify meaning and convey emotion, such as pitch, volume, and intonation

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the use of manner of speaking to communicate particular meanings

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: paralinguistic communication

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: communication

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh2- Proto-Hellenic *pərai Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ́ (părắ) Ancient Greek πᾰρᾰ- (pără-)der. English para- Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵhwéh2s Proto-Italic *dn̥ɣwā Latin dingua Latin lingua Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Vulgar Latin *linguāticum Old French languagebor. Middle English langage English language English paralanguage From para- + language.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 副語言 /副语言 (fùyǔyán) — non-verbal elements of speech
  • Czech: parajazyk — non-verbal elements of speech
  • Finnish: parakieli — non-verbal elements of speech
  • Finnish: vokaliikka — non-verbal elements of speech
  • French: paralangage — non-verbal elements of speech
  • Spanish: paralenguaje — non-verbal elements of speech