dialogue

Etymology

From Middle English dialog, from Old French dialoge (French dialogue), from Late Latin dialogus, from Ancient Greek διάλογος (diálogos, “conversation, discourse”), from διά (diá, “through, inter”) + λόγος (lógos, “speech, oration, discourse”), from διαλέγομαι (dialégomai, “to converse”), from διά (diá) + λέγειν (légein, “to speak”).

noun

1. A conversation or other form of discourse between two or more individuals.
   Bill and Melinda maintained a dialogue via email over the course of their long-distance relationship.
   Start up a dialogue
   The hours of dialogue with Winfrey, which culminated in a choked-up moment on Friday night as he discussed the impact of his cheating on his family, appear to have failed to give Armstrong the redemption that he craves. 19 January 2013, Paul Harris, The Guardian
2. (authorship) In a dramatic or literary presentation, the verbal parts of the script or text; the verbalizations of the actors or characters.
   The movie had great special effects, but the dialogue was lackluster.
   In 1936, Anstey had co-directed Housing Problems, which featured direct dialogue recording - allowing the subjects of the film to speak for themselves. As Anstey said: "At the time nobody had done it, and we gave slum dwellers a chance to make their own films." March 10 2021, Greg Morse, “Telling the railway's story on film”, in RAIL, number 926, page 42
3. (philosophy) A literary form, where the presentation resembles a conversation.
   A literary historian, she specialized in the dialogues of ancient Greek philosophers.
4. (computing) A dialogue box.
   Once the My Computer dialogue opens, select Local Disk (C:), then right click and scroll down.

verb

1. (informal, business) To discuss or negotiate so that all parties can reach an understanding.
   Pearson wanted to dialogue with his overseas counterparts about the new reporting requirements.
2. (transitive) To put into dialogue form.
3. (obsolete) To take part in a dialogue; to dialogize.