allocution
noun
al·lo·cu·tion ˌa-lə-ˈkyü-shən 
: a formal speech
especially : an authoritative or hortatory address
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In his allocution on Thursday, Lewis implicated friend Rashaun Weaver, also now 16, as Majors' primary attacker nearly two years ago. 
NBC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Durst declined to give an allocution for the crime. Fox News, 14 Oct. 2021 And neither a judge nor a prosecutor is required to accept an allocution sliced so fine. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 24 Aug. 2020 From the Justice Department’s standpoint, moreover, a deficient allocution can mean that all bets are off. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 Aug. 2020 Defendants are routinely, and properly, allowed to bring up their family backgrounds during allocution. Samantha Swindler, OregonLive.com, 2 May 2018 However, there is a far more intriguing figure lurking between the lines of that Papadopolous allocution. Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 31 Oct. 2017 See More
NBC News, 15 Oct. 2021 Durst declined to give an allocution for the crime. Fox News, 14 Oct. 2021 And neither a judge nor a prosecutor is required to accept an allocution sliced so fine. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 24 Aug. 2020 From the Justice Department’s standpoint, moreover, a deficient allocution can mean that all bets are off. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 Aug. 2020 Defendants are routinely, and properly, allowed to bring up their family backgrounds during allocution. Samantha Swindler, OregonLive.com, 2 May 2018 However, there is a far more intriguing figure lurking between the lines of that Papadopolous allocution. Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 31 Oct. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin allocūtiōn-, allocūtiō "spoken or written address, manner of addressing, exhortation to an army," from allocū-, variant stem of alloquī "to speak to, address, make an appeal to" (from ad- ad- + loquī "to speak, talk") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at eloquent
First Known Use
1615, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
allocution
noun
al·lo·cu·tion ˌa-lə-ˈkyü-shən
: a formal speech
especially : one made by a defendant at the time of sentencing