Word of the Day
June 23, 2020
Orator
A public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled at persuasive speaking; one who delivers formal addresses with power and rhetorical skill.
From Latin 'orator' meaning 'speaker, pleader,' derived from 'orare' meaning 'to speak, pray, plead.' Related to 'oration' (a formal speech) and 'oratory' (the art of public speaking).
Usage Examples
- Patrick Henry earned his reputation as the colonies' greatest orator through his passionate defense of natural rights.
- An effective orator moves audiences not just through logic but through emotional connection to timeless principles.
- The founding generation produced remarkable orators whose words still resonate nearly 250 years later.
From the Show
Patrick Henry’s brilliance as an orator emerged throughout the June 23, 2020 broadcast as Ben Martin traced how Henry’s forensic gifts transformed colonial resistance into revolutionary action.