A lectern is a piece of furniture which serves the purpose of enabling a speaker to store his or her speech manuscript at an appropriate height during a speech held in a standing position so that it can be read easily. In addition, the lectern regularly serves to attach a microphone.

The construction of a lectern consists of a frame, which is often adjustable in height in order to be adapted to the speaker’s body size, and an inclinable plate, which serves as the actual underlay.

Speakers, lecturers and keynote speakers who give their speeches, talks, lectures and keynote speeches in free speech often do without the use of a speaker’s desk in favour of free movement on stage or use it only for storing notes without holding the speech from the desk.