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verbal

verbal

116 4.3
Having to do with words and language or skill in using them
  • adjective
  • /ˈvɜrbəl/
translation icon : verbal
  • During the debate, her verbal skills helped her articulate her arguments clearly and persuasively.
  • verbal and nonverbal
  • verbal communication
  • verbal expression

What happens in terms of verbal material?

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Examples

  • Also, be observant of your students' verbal suggestions and respond with your own musical curiosity.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Clearly you two lack the verbal skills required to explain this predicament succinctly.

  • "Well, women are more verbal than men."

  • You have to have some verbal ability.

  • And you probably recognize that verbal ability is part of it too.

  • We have separate channels for verbal and visual material.

  • Some are more verbal than others, and some don't show signs as early.

  • The importance of strong written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills is also highlighted.

    Academic text (2015)
  • My math and spatial reasoning and my verbal scores are all excellent.

  • The findings do suggest, however, that race affects verbal strategies used to initiate romantic relationships.

    Academic text (2008)

Compounds

People make a deal by speaking instead of writing

An explanation of something using words rather than pictures

verbal intelligence
  • Specialized
1 5.3

Being able to use and understand spoken and written words well

To make new ideas and images using speech or writing

To show ideas and feelings using spoken or written words

verbal noun
  • Specialized
6.8

A noun made from a verb that names an action or process

Spoken agreement that allows someone to do something

How Verbal

eloquent
61 6.3
articulate
64 4.6
verbal
116 4.3
nonverbal
8 3.7

Surface Forms

verbal positive

Morphology

verbal = verb (semi-transparent) = verb + al

The adjective is formally built from verb + -al, but the meaning has broadened from 'of verbs' to the wider sense 'relating to words or language'.

Etymology

The word verbal comes from the Latin verbum 'word', like the English words verb and verbatim. That is why verbal often means 'relating to words' or 'good with words'.