oral

[ awr-uhl ]

adjective

1. uttered by the mouth; spoken:

   oral testimony.

2. of, using, or transmitted by speech:

   oral methods of language teaching; oral traditions.

3. of, relating to, or involving the mouth:

   the oral cavity.

4. done, taken, or administered through the mouth:

   an oral dose of medicine.

5. Phonetics. articulated with none of the voice issuing through the nose, as the normal English vowels and the consonants b and v.
6. Psychoanalysis.
   1. of or relating to the earliest phase of infantile psychosexual development, lasting from birth to one year of age or longer, during which pleasure is obtained from eating, sucking, and biting.
   2. of or relating to the sublimation of feelings experienced during the oral stage of childhood:

      oral anxiety.

   3. of or relating to gratification by stimulation of the lips or membranes of the mouth, as in sucking, eating, or talking
7. Zoology. pertaining to that surface of polyps and marine animals that contains the mouth and tentacles.

noun

1. an oral examination in a school, college, or university, given especially to a candidate for an advanced degree.

oral

/ ˈɒrəl; ˈɔːrəl /

adjective

1. spoken or verbal

   an oral agreement

2. relating to, affecting, or for use in the mouth

   an oral thermometer

3. of or relating to the surface of an animal, such as a jellyfish, on which the mouth is situated
4. denoting a drug to be taken by mouth Compare parenteral

   an oral contraceptive

5. of, relating to, or using spoken words
6. phonetics pronounced with the soft palate in a raised position completely closing the nasal cavity and allowing air to pass out only through the mouth
7. psychoanal
   1. relating to a stage of psychosexual development during which the child's interest is concentrated on the mouth
   2. denoting personality traits, such as dependence, selfishness, and aggression, resulting from fixation at the oral stage Compare anal genital phallic

noun

1. an examination in which the questions and answers are spoken rather than written

oral

/ ôr′əl /

1. Relating to or involving the mouth.

Usage Note

See verbal.

Derived Forms

• ˈorally, adverb

Other Words From

• o·ral·i·ty noun
• o·ral·ly adverb
• non·o·ral adjective
• post·o·ral adjective
• sub·o·ral adjective
• un·o·ral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of oral¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ōr- (stem of ōs ) “mouth” (cognate with Sanskrit āsya ) + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of oral¹

C17: from Late Latin orālis, from Latin ōs face

Example Sentences

To avoid being eaten, the mollusk hides with its transparent body and makes a quick escape by quickly closing its oral hood, similar to the movements of a jellyfish.

From Los Angeles Times

The man is working to compile an oral history of the Troubles for Boston College's Belfast Project.

From Salon

However, Trump’s defense attorney appealed the judge’s decision, and for the past several months, the case has been paused until a Georgia appeals court makes a final ruling on Willis’ status in this case—oral arguments are scheduled for Dec. 5, and a final decision is expected in 2025.

From Slate

Baker tore into the RNC in a brutal oral ruling, saying that their case contained “no supporting facts” and cherry-picked counties based on their past voting records.

From Salon

“There is nothing about the current decision that changes my confidence in the safety of optimally fluoridated water in the U.S.,” said Dr. Charlotte W. Lewis, a member of the AAP Section on Oral Health, at the time.

From Los Angeles Times