languages

noun

(countable) A body of words, and set of methods of combining them (called a grammar), understood by a community and used as a form of communication.

(uncountable) The ability to communicate using words.

(countable, uncountable, figurative) The expression of thought (the communication of meaning) in a specified way; that which communicates something, as language does.

(countable, uncountable) A body of sounds, signs or signals by which animals communicate, and by which plants are sometimes also thought to communicate.

(uncountable) A manner of expression.

(uncountable) The particular words used in a speech or a passage of text.

(uncountable) A sublanguage: the slang of a particular community or jargon of a particular specialist field.

(computing, countable) A computer language; a machine language.

(euphemistic, uncountable) Profanity.

A languet, a flat plate in or below the flue pipe of an organ.

verb

(rare, now nonstandard or technical) To communicate by language; to express in language.

Roots

lingualangu- · Latin · tongue, speech

Synonyms & related words for languages

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of languages. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to languages

Explore words related to languages — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include idioglossia, dialects, polyglotism, interlanguage, metalinguistics, glottology, lingually, interlingual. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does languages come from?

The word languages breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root langu-, from Latin lingua (“tongue, speech”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.