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; oration, -cle ²

Example Sentences

It doesn’t take an oracle to see there just might be an opportunity in Oracle.

From Barron's

An oracle is a person, usually possessing long-earned wisdom, that can share reliable information about the future.

From Barron's

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

From BBC

Writer and performer Sandra Tsing Loh had the honors Sunday, and she gamely followed the script’s instructions as though presiding over an evening of charades that an oracle had dreamed up in advance.

From Los Angeles Times

Star Feliz, a New York artist now based in L.A., was exploring the connection between civilian oracles and artificial technologies in their art when they were approached to make a new piece for the show.

From Los Angeles Times