I. ˈdis-ˌkȯrs, dis-ˈ noun
Etymology: Middle English discours, from Medieval Latin & Late Latin discursus; Medieval Latin, argument, from Late Latin, conversation, from Latin, act of running about, from discurrere to run about, from dis- + currere to run — more at car
Date: 14th century
1. archaic : the capacity of orderly thought or procedure : rationality
2. : verbal interchange of ideas ; especially : conversation
3.
a. : formal and orderly and usually extended expression of thought on a subject
b. : connected speech or writing
c. : a linguistic unit (as a conversation or a story) larger than a sentence
4. obsolete : social familiarity
5. : a mode of organizing knowledge, ideas, or experience that is rooted in language and its concrete contexts (as history or institutions)
critical discourse
II. dis-ˈkȯrs, ˈdis-ˌ verb
( dis·coursed ; dis·cours·ing )
Date: 1559
intransitive verb
1. : to express oneself especially in oral discourse
2. : talk , converse
transitive verb
archaic : to give forth : utter
• dis·cours·er noun