1. A philosophical approach that privileges speech and the spoken word as the primary source of meaning and truth, often at the expense of writing and other forms of representation.
Usage: academic; philosophy; literary theory
2. An excessive reliance on words and verbal language as the sole or primary means of understanding reality, communication, or meaning.
Usage: academic; critical theory

Examples

• Derrida critiqued Western logocentrism for treating speech as more authentic than writing.
• The philosopher argued that logocentrism has dominated Western thought since Plato.
• Logocentrism assumes that the spoken word carries more truth than visual or written forms.
• Postmodern theorists challenged logocentrism by examining how meaning is constructed through multiple media.
• The text explores how logocentrism shaped the development of metaphysics in ancient Greece.
• Some scholars argue that logocentrism limits our understanding of non-verbal communication.