English word speech comes from Proto-Indo-European *pereg-, Proto-Indo-European *(s)pereg-, and later Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (To speak, to make a noise.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *pereg- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *(s)pereg- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to be quick, twitch, sprinkle, splash, to strew, jerk, sprinkle, scatter, to shrug, be quick, twitch, splash, blast, to twitch, flip, shoot, splash, make a sound |
| *sprekaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To speak, to make a noise. |
| *sprēkō | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Speech, language. |
| sprǣċ | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| spræc | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | Language. Speech. |
| speche | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | |
| speech | English (eng) | (countable) A session of speaking; a long oral message given publicly usually by one person.. (grammar) Speech reported in writing; see direct speech, reported speech. (uncountable) The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the ability to speak or to use vocalizations to communicate.. A dialect or language.. A style of speaking.. Talk; mention; rumour. (transitive, intransitive) To [...] |