Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a question asked solely to produce an effect or to make an assertion and not to elicit a reply, as “What is so rare as a day in June?”
noun
- a question to which no answer is required: used esp for dramatic effect. An example is Who knows? (with the implication Nobody knows)
A question posed without expectation of an answer but merely as a way of making a point: “You don’t expect me to go along with that crazy scheme, do you?”
A question asked without expecting an answer but for the sake of emphasis or effect. The expected answer is usually “yes” or “no.” For example, Can we improve the quality of our work? That’s a rhetorical question. [Late 1800s]