enunciation
(ɪnʌnsɪˈeɪʃən, -ʃɪ-)
[ad. L. ēnuntiātiōn-em, n. of action f. ēnuntiāre: see prec. Cf. Fr. énonciation.]
The action of enuntiating.
1. The action of giving definite expression to (a law, principle, etc.).
| 1808 Med. Jrnl. XIX. 482 Enunciation of the Principle, and Observations respecting it. 1830 Herschel Stud. Nat. Phil. 95 The most extensive and general enunciation of the laws of nature. 1873 J. Cooke New Chem. 13 This word..selected by Avogadro in the enunciation of his law. |
† b. concr. A proposition, statement. Obs.
| 1628 T. Spencer Logick 222 A compound axiome, is but one proposition, or enuntiation, as Aristotle calls it. 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. iv. vii. 32 Christ..used no prayer in the distribution, but that demonstrative enunciation, This is my body. 1717 S. Clarke Mr. Leibnitz's 5th Paper (R.), Every intelligible enunciation must be either true or false. 1765 Warburton Div. Legat. (ed. 4) vi. §4 V. 194 note And verifies the enunciation of the gospel. |
c. Math. The form of words in which a proposition is stated.
| 1793 T. Beddoes Math. Evid. 50 The enunciation of proposition the 29th. 1885 C. Leudesdorf Cremona's Proj. Geom. 99 These are precisely the two directly equal pencils mentioned in the enunciation. |
2. † a. ? Verbal expression (quot. 1551). b. The action of declaring or asserting (a fact, doctrine, etc.); formal declaration or assertion.
| 1551 Gardiner Of The Presence in Sacrament 41 a, The callyng of bread by enunciation, for a name is not material. 1651 Jer. Taylor Clerus Dom. (R.), By way of interpretation and enunciation, as an ambassador. 1827 Bentham Ration. Evid. Wks. 1843 VII. 81 The proposition in question..is not, properly speaking, the enunciation of a matter of fact. 1844 Lever T. Burke xviii, He never missed an opportunity for the enunciation of such doctrines. |
3. The uttering or pronouncing of articulate sounds; manner of utterance.
| 1750 Chesterfield Lett. 9 July (1870) 179 Remember of what importance Demosthenes and one of the Gracchi, thought Enunciation. 1812 Examiner 9 Nov. 716/1 His enunciation is perfectly articulate. 1879 Froude Cæsar xi. 129 He mocked at his bad enunciation and bad grammar. |