oral history
Americannoun
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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.
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a book, article, recording, or transcription of such information.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oral history
First recorded in 1970–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An oral history of Wawa, compiled by Adam Clark for NJ Advance Media, quotes him jokingly reflecting on those days in a 1995 speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
To preserve the history of these neighborhoods, Clockshop, an arts organization, has been collecting interviews with locals as part of a multimedia oral history project since 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
One version of the oral history speaks of a hunter from Gomoa Asin, a royal named Inhune Akubuha.
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
The oral history includes McCartney’s defense of that track: “The truth is, it was catchy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
