oracy

American  

[awr-uh-see, ohr-] / ˈɔr ə si, ˈoʊr- /

noun

1. the ability to express oneself in and understand spoken language.

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oracy British  

/ ˈɔːrəsɪ /

noun

1. the capacity to express oneself in and understand speech

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Etymology

Origin of oracy

First recorded in 1960–65; or(al) + (liter)acy

Example Sentences

But won't some people be sceptical about the link between funding oracy programmes for young children and preventing a young teenager from picking up a knife?

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025

An updated toolkit to help with teaching reading and oracy would be published, he said, and he promised a mathematics and numeracy plan before the end of the year.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2023

However, there were many plus points as well - such as oracy skills being increasingly strong in most schools, pupils showing effective digital skills and teachers having a heightened sense of well-being since the pandemic.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2023

The BBC has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust, oracy charity Voice 21 and the British Film Institute's Into Film programme.

From BBC • Sep. 22, 2021

Mr Hyman, a former speechwriter for Tony Blair, warned of a "speaking deficit", adding the skills of "oracy" were at "the heart of social mobility".

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2016