Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • A simplified spelling of dialogue.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A conversation or other form of discourse between two or more individuals.
  • noun In a dramatic or literary presentation, the verbal parts of the script or text; the verbalizations of the actors or characters.
  • noun A literary form, where the presentation resembles a conversation.
  • noun computing A dialog box.
  • verb informal, business To discuss or negotiate so that all parties can reach an understanding.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a literary composition in the form of a conversation between two people
  • noun a conversation between two persons
  • noun the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English dialog ("A literary talk, literary composition in dialog form; dialogus, the Dialogues of Pope Gregory the Great; a conversation"), from Ancient Greek διάλογος (dialogos, "conversation, discourse"), from διά (dia, "through, inter") + λόγος (logos, "speech, oration, discourse"), from διαλέγομαι (dialegomai, "to converse"), from διά + λέγειν (legein, "to speak").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word dialog.

Examples

  • This happens for me most often with the label dialog but it's basically erasing with select similar would be one or two more input actions.

    All Discussion Groups: Message List - root 2008

  • But what surprised me was how snappy the dialog is and how the film hangs together well because of it.

    MOVIEW REVIEW: Iron Man 2008

  • Keep it up, it’s what we call dialog…it’s a good thing.

    Karas: The Prophecy | The Anime Blog 2006

  • (BTW - this kind of dialog is exactly what I like about Publicola.)

    McGinn Staff Received Salary Increases While Mayor Froze Salaries in Other Departments « PubliCola 2010

  • The writers of this show understand that dialog is characterization (among other things), and so when you have a character like Omar who doesn't say a word that would turn a hair on my grandmother's head, you know something about Omar other than that the network wouldn't let him talk differently, because it's HBO, so of course the network would.

    Barnstorming on an Invisible Segway 2009

  • There are actual plots, the dialog is meant to reveal character and move the story along, and there are characters to play.

    Lance Mannion: 2009

  • Their dialog is hilarious, and dead-on for two guys who have known each other forever, long enough to give each other a line of bull about each and every subject.

    Dusk Before the Dawn » 2009 » July 2009

  • The dialog is poorly written as far as the predictability and the somewhat artificial flow.

    BUMMER • by John Brooke 2009

  • Anyway, the dialog is more comfortable on the SCA/Valkyrie end of the story than on the modern end (contractions: they are our friends), but the forging and the fighting balance that out for sure.

    mrissa: Black Blade Blues, by J. A. Pitts mrissa 2010

  • Anyway, the dialog is more comfortable on the SCA/Valkyrie end of the story than on the modern end (contractions: they are our friends), but the forging and the fighting balance that out for sure.

    Barnstorming on an Invisible Segway markgritter 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.