language

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/

Idioms

jump to other results

of a country

[countable] the system of communication in speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country or area

the English language
It takes a long time to learn to speak a language well.
All the children must learn a foreign language.
German is my native language.
Is English an official language in your country?
The novel has been translated into over twenty languages.
She has a good command of the Spanish language.
Good language skills are essential in this job.
They fell in love in spite of the language barrier (= the difficulty of communicating when people speak different languages).
Why study Latin? It's a dead language (= no longer spoken by anyone).

see also first language, heritage language, modern language, object language, second language, target language, tone language

Synonyms languagelanguage

vocabulary
terms
wording
terminology

These are all terms for the words and expressions people use when they speak or write, or for a particular style of speaking or writing.

language
a particular style of speaking or writing:
- Give your instructions in everyday language.
- the language of the legal profession
vocabulary
all the words that a person knows or uses, or all the words in a particular language; the words that people use when they are talking about a particular subject:
- to have a wide/limited vocabulary
- The word has become part of advertising vocabulary.
terms
a way of expressing yourself or of saying something:
- I’ll try to explain in simple terms.
wording
[usually sing.] the words that are used in a piece of writing or speech, especially when they have been carefully chosen:
- It was the standard form of wording for a consent letter.
terminology
(rather formal) the set of technical words or expressions used in a particular subject:
- medical terminology
- Scientists are constantly developing new terminologies.
Literary/poetic terminology is used for talking about literature or poetry. Literary/poetic language is used for writing in a literary or poetic style.

Patterns

formal/informal/everyday language/vocabulary/terms
business/scientific/technical/specialized language/vocabulary/terminology
A word enters the language/the vocabulary.

Wordfinder

accent
alphabet
dialect
grammar
language
literacy
literature
pronunciation
translate
word

Extra Examples

How many foreign languages does she speak?
Most local cinemas show films in the original language, with German subtitles.
Portuguese is the national language of Brazil.
She grew up in Mexico, so her first language is Spanish.
Some minority languages are dying out.
idiomatic expressions that enrich the language
manuscripts written in an unknown language
the teaching of English as a second language
She's got a degree in modern languages.
She could speak some Chinese, but never studied the written language.

Topics Languagea1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

first
native
foreign
…

verb + language

speak
know
understand
…

language + noun

acquisition
development
learning
…

phrases

command of (a) language
knowledge of (a) language
mastery of (a) language
…

See full entry

communication

[uncountable] the use by humans of a system of sounds and words to communicate

a qualification in language teaching
a study of language acquisition in two-year-olds
Language is constantly evolving.

see also artificial language, auxiliary language, natural language, world language

Extra Examples

theories about the origins of language
new methods of language learning
Her command of language is very advanced for a six-year-old.

Topics Languagea1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

spoken
written
colloquial
…

verb + language

use
be couched in
be expressed in
…

preposition

in…language

phrases

use of language

See full entry

style of speaking/writing

[uncountable] a particular style of speaking or writing

spoken/written language
literary/poetic language
foul language (= words that people may consider offensive)
The poem uses distinctly modern language.
His strength is that he addresses his readers in plain language.
the language of science

movements/symbols/sound

[uncountable, countable] a way of expressing ideas and feelings using movements, symbols and sound

the language of mime
the language of dolphins/bees

computing

[countable, uncountable] a system of symbols and rules that is used to operate a computer

a programming language

see also assembly language, command language, query languageTopics Computersa1

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French langage, based on Latin lingua ‘tongue’.

Idioms

mind/watch your language

to be careful about what you say in order not to upset or offend somebody
- Watch your language, young man!
- The referee told the players to mind their language.

speak/talk the same language

to be able to communicate easily with another person because you share similar opinions and experienceTopics Opinion and argumentc2

单词	language
释义	language noun OPAL WOPAL S /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ Idioms jump to other results of a country [countable] the system of communication in speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country or area the English language It takes a long time to learn to speak a language well. All the children must learn a foreign language. German is my native language. Is English an official language in your country? The novel has been translated into over twenty languages. She has a good command of the Spanish language. Good language skills are essential in this job. They fell in love in spite of the language barrier (= the difficulty of communicating when people speak different languages). Why study Latin? It's a dead language (= no longer spoken by anyone). see also first language, heritage language, modern language, object language, second language, target language, tone language Synonyms languagelanguage vocabulary terms wording terminology These are all terms for the words and expressions people use when they speak or write, or for a particular style of speaking or writing. language a particular style of speaking or writing: Give your instructions in everyday language. the language of the legal profession vocabulary all the words that a person knows or uses, or all the words in a particular language; the words that people use when they are talking about a particular subject: to have a wide/limited vocabulary The word has become part of advertising vocabulary. terms a way of expressing yourself or of saying something: I’ll try to explain in simple terms. wording [usually sing.] the words that are used in a piece of writing or speech, especially when they have been carefully chosen: It was the standard form of wording for a consent letter. terminology (rather formal) the set of technical words or expressions used in a particular subject: medical terminology Scientists are constantly developing new terminologies. Literary/poetic terminology is used for talking about literature or poetry. Literary/poetic language is used for writing in a literary or poetic style. Patterns formal/informal/everyday language/vocabulary/terms business/scientific/technical/specialized language/vocabulary/terminology A word enters the language/the vocabulary. Wordfinder accent alphabet dialect grammar language literacy literature pronunciation translate word Extra Examples How many foreign languages does she speak? Most local cinemas show films in the original language, with German subtitles. Portuguese is the national language of Brazil. She grew up in Mexico, so her first language is Spanish. Some minority languages are dying out. idiomatic expressions that enrich the language manuscripts written in an unknown language the teaching of English as a second language She's got a degree in modern languages. She could speak some Chinese, but never studied the written language. Topics Languagea1 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective first native foreign … verb + language speak know understand … language + noun acquisition development learning … phrases command of (a) language knowledge of (a) language mastery of (a) language … See full entry communication [uncountable] the use by humans of a system of sounds and words to communicate a qualification in language teaching a study of language acquisition in two-year-olds Language is constantly evolving. see also artificial language, auxiliary language, natural language, world language Extra Examples theories about the origins of language new methods of language learning Her command of language is very advanced for a six-year-old. Topics Languagea1 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective spoken written colloquial … verb + language use be couched in be expressed in … preposition in…language phrases use of language See full entry style of speaking/writing [uncountable] a particular style of speaking or writing spoken/written language literary/poetic language foul language (= words that people may consider offensive) The poem uses distinctly modern language. His strength is that he addresses his readers in plain language. the language of science see also bad language Extra Examples Give your instructions in everyday language. They were shouting and using bad/foul language. The following programme contains strong language. people using foul language She reserved her harshest language for those she believed had betrayed her. His letter was couched in very formal language. The writer's use of language reflects the personality of each character. Topics Languagea1 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective spoken written colloquial … verb + language use be couched in be expressed in … preposition in…language phrases use of language See full entry movements/symbols/sound [uncountable, countable] a way of expressing ideas and feelings using movements, symbols and sound the language of mime the language of dolphins/bees see also body language, sign language computing [countable, uncountable] a system of symbols and rules that is used to operate a computer a programming language see also assembly language, command language, query languageTopics Computersa1 Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French langage, based on Latin lingua ‘tongue’. Idioms mind/watch your language to be careful about what you say in order not to upset or offend somebody Watch your language, young man! The referee told the players to mind their language. speak/talk the same language to be able to communicate easily with another person because you share similar opinions and experienceTopics Opinion and argumentc2
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