Adjacent Words

Voluble definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

VOL'UBLE, a. [L. volubilis.]
1. Formed so as to roll with ease, or to be easily set in motion; apt to roll; as voluble particles of matter.
2. Rolling; having quick motion.
This less voluble earth.
3. Nimble; active; moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; fluent; as a flippant, voluble tongue.
4. Fluent; flowing with ease and smoothness; as a voluble speech.
5. Having fluency of speech.
Cassio, a knave very voluble.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: marked by a ready flow of speech; "she is an extremely voluble young woman who engages in soliloquies not conversations" [ant: taciturn]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin volubilis, from volvere to roll; akin to Old English wealwian to roll, Greek eilyein to roll, wrap Date: 15th century 1. easily rolling or turning ; rotating 2. characterized by ready or rapid speech ; glib, fluent Synonyms: see talkative • volubility noun • volubleness noun • volubly adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 speaking or spoken vehemently, incessantly, or fluently (voluble spokesman; voluble excuses). 2 Bot. twisting round a support, twining. Derivatives: volubility n. volubleness n. volubly adv. Etymology: F voluble or L volubilis f. volvere roll

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Voluble Vol"u*ble, a. [L. volubilis, fr. volvere, volutum, to roll, to turn round; akin to Gr. ? to infold, to inwrap, ? to roll, G. welle a wave: cf. F. voluble. Cf. F. Well of water, Convolvulus, Devolve, Involve, Revolt, Vault an arch, Volume, Volute.] 1. Easily rolling or turning; easily set in motion; apt to roll; rotating; as, voluble particles of matter. 2. Moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; of rapid speech; nimble in speaking; glib; as, a flippant, voluble, tongue. [Cassio,] a knave very voluble. --Shak. Note: Voluble was used formerly to indicate readiness of speech merely, without any derogatory suggestion. ``A grave and voluble eloquence.'' --Bp. Hacket. 3. Changeable; unstable; fickle. [Obs.] 4. (Bot.) Having the power or habit of turning or twining; as, the voluble stem of hop plants. Voluble stem (Bot.), a stem that climbs by winding, or twining, round another body. -- Vol"u*ble*ness, n. -- Vol"u*bly, adv.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If you say that someone is voluble, you mean that they talk a lot with great energy and enthusiasm. (FORMAL) She was voluble with excitement... Bert is a voluble, gregarious man. ADJ • volubly In the next booth along he could see an elderly lady, talking volubly. ADV: ADV with v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Rolling. 2. Nimble, active. 3. Fluent, glib, loquacious, talkative, of a ready tongue, ready in speech, nimble of speech. 4. (Bot.) Twining, volubile.

Moby Thesaurus

all jaw, bombastic, candid, chatty, communicative, conversational, effusive, expansive, exuberant, flip, fluent, frank, gabby, garrulous, gassy, glib, gossipy, gregarious, gushy, long-winded, loquacious, multiloquent, multiloquious, newsy, overtalkative, profuse, prolix, silver-tongued, smooth, sociable, talkative, talky, verbose, vocative, windy, wordy