Loquacious, Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 15, 2026, describes someone who enjoys talking and does so fluently. Synonyms include wordy and garrulous, both implying a tendency to speak at length. An example illustrates a loquacious parrot entertaining guests with its continuous chatter. The term can also apply to animals, such as marmosets, whose talkative nature is being studied for insights into human speech origins.First appearing in English in the 17th century, loquacious has been popular among writers. Its meaning has expanded beyond just "talkative" or "excessively talkative" to encompass the sounds of nature, like the chattering of birds or the babbling of brooks. The word's linguistic roots trace back to the Latin verb "loquī," meaning "to talk, speak." This Latin origin also gives rise to several other English words. These include colloquial, referring to informal language, and eloquent, describing articulate expression. Additionally, soliloquy, a speech delivered by a character alone, and ventriloquism, the art of projecting one's voice, share the same Latin ancestry.