The faculty or act of speaking. The faculty or act of expressing or describing thoughts, feelings, or perceptions by the articulation of words. Something spoken; an utterance. Vocal communication; conversation. A talk or public address: "The best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance\u201d ( Ruth Gordon). A printed copy of such an address. One's habitual manner or style of speaking. The language or dialect of a nation or region: American speech. The sounding of a musical instrument. The study of oral communication, speech sounds, and vocal physiology. Archaic Rumor.