utterance
Her utterance surprised everyone in the room.
What she said was unexpected and caught people off guard.
a spoken statement or sound
The child's first utterance was 'mama.'
The child's first word was 'mama.'
The utterance of the word 'help' was barely audible.
The word 'help' was spoken very quietly.
Can refer to a single word, phrase, or sound.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal Use
In formal contexts, 'utterance' is often used to describe spoken language in a precise or technical way. In everyday speech, it may sound overly formal.
Gold Rule
Subject-Verb Agreement
When 'utterance' is the subject, it is singular and requires a singular verb (e.g., 'The utterance was clear.').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'utteren' (to speak), from Old French 'outer' (to speak out), from Latin 'ūtrum' (either of two).
Usage Notes
Often used in formal or technical contexts, such as linguistics or speech analysis.