rhetoric n.

"a word that asserts or declares; that part of speech of which the office is predication, and which, either alone or with various modifiers or adjuncts, combines with a subject to make a sentence" [Century Dictionary], late 14c., from Old French verbe "word; word of God; saying; part of speech that expresses action or being" (12c.) and directly from Latin verbum "verb," originally "a word," from PIE root *were- (3) "to speak" (source also of Avestan urvata- "command;" Sanskrit vrata- "command, vow;" Greek rhētōr "public speaker," rhetra "agreement, covenant," eirein "to speak, say;" Hittite weriga- "call, summon;" Lithuanian vardas "name;" Gothic waurd, Old English word "word").

late 14c., rethor, "master or teacher of rhetoric," also "an ancient Greek orator," from Old French retor (Modern French rhéteur), from Latin rhetor (in Medieval Latin also rethor), from Greek rhētōr "speaker, master speaker, orator; artist of discourse; teacher of rhetoric" (see rhetoric (n.)).