oral history

American  

noun

1. information of historical or sociological importance obtained usually by tape-recorded interviews with persons whose experiences and memories are representative or whose lives have been of special significance.

2. a book, article, recording, or transcription of such information.

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oral history British  

noun

1. the memories of living people about events or social conditions which they experienced in their earlier lives taped and preserved as historical evidence

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Other Word Forms

• oral historian
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of oral history

First recorded in 1970–75

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

oral history

“The difference between success and failure rests on who is running the show,” he said in an oral history recorded by the Computer History Museum.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

An oral history, based on 80 interviews, offers insight into one of the most misunderstood administrations in recent history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

One version of the oral history speaks of a hunter from Gomoa Asin, a royal named Inhune Akubuha.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

Inside one of the oldest barbershops in Boyle Heights, Rodney Trammell gave an oral history of Brooklyn Avenue before it was renamed after civil rights leader Cesar E. Chavez.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

He wanted to throw a Mess Night that would worm its way into the oral history of the Marine Corps.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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