soliloquy
suh-LIL-uh-kwee
Soliloquy (noun) means a speech in a play in which a character, alone on stage, speaks their thoughts aloud so the audience can hear them. Example: “Hamlet's 'To be, or not to be' is the most quoted soliloquy in English.”
noun
1
A speech in a play in which a character, alone on stage, speaks their thoughts aloud so the audience can hear them.
"Hamlet's 'To be, or not to be' is the most quoted soliloquy in English."
"The soliloquy lets us hear what the character would never admit to anyone else."
2
Any long speech someone makes to themselves rather than to a listener.
"He launched into a soliloquy about the state of the roads while I washed up."
How to use soliloquy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA character in a play thinking out loud on their own.
When to use it
Formal and literary.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
famous soliloquy
deliver a soliloquy
opening soliloquy
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Hamlet's 'To be, or not to be' is the most quoted _____ in English.
Etymology
From Late Latin 'soliloquium', from 'solus' meaning 'alone' and 'loqui' meaning 'to speak'.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for soliloquy
See all rhymes for soliloquy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue?
A soliloquy is spoken by a character who is alone and unheard by the other characters, so it reveals private thoughts. A monologue is a long speech delivered to other people on stage. Every soliloquy is a kind of monologue, but not the reverse.
What is the difference between a soliloquy and an aside?
An aside is a brief remark to the audience, often only a line, delivered while other characters are present and supposedly cannot hear. A soliloquy is a sustained speech given in solitude.
How do you pronounce soliloquy?
Four syllables, with the stress on the second: suh-LIL-uh-kwee. The plural is soliloquies.
What is the meaning of soliloquy?
"soliloquy" (noun) means a speech in a play in which a character, alone on stage, speaks their thoughts aloud so the audience can hear them.
