oracle

American  

[awr-uh-kuhl, or-] / ˈɔr ə kəl, ˈɒr- /

noun

1. (especially in ancient Greece) an utterance, often ambiguous or obscure, given by a priest or priestess at a shrine as the response of a god to an inquiry.

2. the agency or medium giving such responses.

3. a shrine or place at which such responses were given.

   the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

4. a person who delivers authoritative, wise, or highly regarded and influential pronouncements.

5. a divine communication or revelation.

6. any person or thing serving as an agency of divine communication.

7. any utterance made or received as authoritative, extremely wise, or infallible.

8. oracles, the Scriptures.

9. the holy of holies of the Biblical Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem.

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oracle British  

/ ˈɒrəkəl /

noun

1. a prophecy, often obscure or allegorical, revealed through the medium of a priest or priestess at the shrine of a god

2. a shrine at which an oracular god is consulted

3. an agency through which a prophecy is transmitted

4. any person or thing believed to indicate future action with infallible authority

5. a statement believed to be infallible and authoritative

6. Bible

   1. a message from God

   2. the holy of holies in the Israelite temple

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Etymology

Origin of oracle

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ōrāculum, equivalent to ōrā(re) “to plead” + -culum diminutive noun suffix; see oration, -cle ²

Explanation

Back in ancient times, an oracle was someone who offered advice or a prophecy thought to have come directly from a divine source. In modern usage, any good source of information can be called an oracle. In his Apology, Plato claims that the oracle at Delphi played a vital role in the career of the philosopher Socrates, and a Delphic prophecy sets the tragedy of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex in motion. The word oracle can also be used to describe the utterances of a seer or anyone else who is pretty darn good at predicting the future.

Example Sentences

"If implemented at scale, it could represent a milestone in the history of knowledge storage, akin to oracle bones, medieval parchment or the modern hard drive," they said.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Yet she’s also a protein-loading weight-lifting buff who favors all-black outfits and clear opinions, not a robed oracle speaking in riddles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Days later, the Dalai Lama fled the palace, a decision he said was based on divine orders from his personal oracle.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

But they also lead new professors to become glued to that position in the room, reifying the power imbalance that already exists: professor as oracle, center-front at the microphone.

From Slate • Oct. 20, 2024

He broke in upon her words to tell her what filled his mind so that nothing else could reach it: the terrible words of the oracle of Apollo.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton