colloquy

/ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/

//ˈkɒ.lə.kwi// noun

"colloquy" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“colloquy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A conversation or dialogue.

Key facts for colloquy
PropertyValue
Headwordcolloquy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “colloquy” sits in English frequency

colloquy falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

colloquy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

colloquy doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English colloquies pl, from Latin colloquium (“conversation”), from com- (“together, with”) (English com-) + form of loquor (“speak”) (from which English locution and other words). Doublet of colloquium. The correct English form is colloquy, spelled C-O-L-L-O-Q-U-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A conversation or dialogue.
  2. 2
    A formal conference.
  3. 3
    A church court held by certain Reformed denominations.
  4. 4
    A written discourse.
  5. 5
    A discussion during a trial in which a judge ensures that the defendant understands what is taking place in the trial and what his or her rights are.
  6. 6
    A collection of scripted dialogues written as a textbook, or a set of exercises, to help students to practice and improve their Latin or Ancient Greek. See: Colloquy

Etymology

From Middle English colloquies pl, from Latin colloquium (“conversation”), from com- (“together, with”) (English com-) + form of loquor (“speak”) (from which English locution and other words). Doublet of colloquium.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "colloquy"?
"colloquy" is spelled C-O-L-L-O-Q-U-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/.
What does "colloquy" mean?
As a noun, "colloquy" means: A conversation or dialogue.
How do you pronounce "colloquy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "colloquy" is /ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "colloquy"?
From Middle English colloquies pl, from Latin colloquium (“conversation”), from com- (“together, with”) (English com-) + form of loquor (“speak”) (from which English locution and other words). Doublet of colloquium. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “colloquy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-L-L-O-Q-U-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒ.lə.kwi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list