As discussed earlier, defining your terms is not just for definitional speeches. In any speech, you should choose terms that your audience will know and understand—and provide clear definitions for any words they might not. If at any point in your speech, audience members find themselves wondering what or who you are talking about, you will begin to lose their attention. When a term comes up that requires definition, you must explain it clearly and succinctly before moving on. If you think an audience is familiar with a word but you just want to be sure, you can simply allude to a more common synonym: “People tend to think of rhinoplasties—commonly referred to as ‘nose jobs’—as cosmetic in nature, but in fact many are performed to help improve nasal functioning.”

Note that definitions are often necessary for proper nouns as well. Audiences may not have a strong background in geography, politics, or world events, so it can be useful to identify organizations and individuals in the same way that you would define a term: “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, is the largest animal rights organization in the world,” or “Colin Powell, a former U.S. Army general and secretary of state under President George W. Bush, noted that. . . .” If you can define and identify terms in a way that is smooth and diplomatic, you will enable audience members who are unfamiliar with them to continue to participate in your presentation, while gaining the confidence of audience members who do know the terms when you explain them accurately.