oracular

[ aw-rak-yuh-ler, oh-rak- ]

adjective

1. of the nature of, resembling, or suggesting an oracle:

   an oracular response.

   Synonyms: prophetic

2. giving forth utterances or decisions as if by special inspiration or authority.

   Synonyms: dogmatic, authoritative

3. uttered or delivered as if divinely inspired or infallible; sententious.
4. ambiguous; obscure.

   Synonyms: equivocal

5. portentous; ominous.

oracular

/ ɒˈrækjʊlə /

adjective

1. of or relating to an oracle

   Apollo had his oracular shrine at Delphi

2. wise and prophetic

   an oracular political thriller

3. mysterious or ambiguous

Derived Forms

• oˈracularly, adverb

Other Words From

• o·racu·lar·ly adverb
• o·rac·u·lar·i·ty [aw-rak-y, uh, -, lar, -i-tee, oh-rak-], o·racu·lar·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oracular¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin ōrācul(um) oracle + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

She worked with a snake to put herself in an oracular trance.

From Scientific American

As he explained of his nom de plume, in typically oracular fashion: “One is a beginning and two is the next step. Two is forever.”

From New York Times

I didn't want her to be an oracular character, or a fixer.

From Salon

Kusama took on an oracular aspect in the dark as she spoke.

From New York Times

Pride and relief because full visibility and unapologetic citizenship are after all what the landmark works of the old queer theater, culminating with the oracular “Angels in America” in 1991, prepared us to want.

From New York Times