noun

speaking in tongues

SPEE-king in TUNGZ

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Speaking in tongues (noun) means the practice, found mainly in Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, of praying or worshipping aloud in fluent speech-like sounds that the speaker does not understand and believes to be given by the Holy Spirit. Example: “Several people began speaking in tongues during the evening service.”

noun

The practice, found mainly in Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, of praying or worshipping aloud in fluent speech-like sounds that the speaker does not understand and believes to be given by the Holy Spirit.

"Several people began speaking in tongues during the evening service."

"Her church treats speaking in tongues as a sign of baptism in the Spirit."

figurative Speech that is unintelligible to the listener, described this way as a joke or a complaint.

"Once he starts on database indexing he is speaking in tongues as far as I'm concerned."

How to use speaking in tongues

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPraying out loud in sounds that are not a language the speaker knows.

When to use it

Neutral and standard when describing worship. Believers usually call it the gift of tongues; scholars call it glossolalia.

Memory tip

Tongues here is the old sense of languages, as in the phrase mother tongue.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

glossolalia → xenoglossy Pentecost

Common pairings

gift of tongues began speaking in tongues pray in tongues

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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Several people began _____ during the evening service.

Etymology

A translation of the New Testament Greek phrase glossais lalein, 'to speak in tongues', from glossa 'tongue, language' and lalein 'to speak'. The noun glossolalia was later formed from the same roots.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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glossolalia

Related words

glossolalia

Rhymes for speaking in tongues

dues blues Jacques statues fatigues Rodrigues

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between speaking in tongues and glossolalia?

They describe the same phenomenon. Speaking in tongues is the religious and everyday term; glossolalia is the neutral academic one used in linguistics and psychology.

What is xenoglossy?

Xenoglossy is the claimed ability to speak a real foreign language one has never learned. Glossolalia, by contrast, does not correspond to any identified human language, which is what linguists who have analysed recordings report.

Which churches practise speaking in tongues?

Chiefly Pentecostal denominations and charismatic movements within Catholic, Anglican and other Protestant churches. Most other Christian traditions do not practise it, and views differ sharply on whether the gift continues today.

What is the meaning of speaking in tongues?

"speaking in tongues" (noun) means the practice, found mainly in Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, of praying or worshipping aloud in fluent speech-like sounds that the speaker does not understand and believes to be given by the Holy Spirit.

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