oral

[ awr-uhl ]

/ ˈɔr əl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for oral on Thesaurus.com

adjective

uttered by the mouth; spoken: oral testimony.

of, using, or transmitted by speech: oral methods of language teaching; oral traditions.

of, relating to, or involving the mouth: the oral cavity.

done, taken, or administered through the mouth: an oral dose of medicine.

Phonetics. articulated with none of the voice issuing through the nose, as the normal English vowels and the consonants b and v.

Psychoanalysis.

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.
of or relating to the sublimation of feelings experienced during the oral stage of childhood: oral anxiety.
of or relating to gratification by stimulation of the lips or membranes of the mouth, as in sucking, eating, or talking

Zoology. pertaining to that surface of polyps and marine animals that contains the mouth and tentacles.

noun

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

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of oral

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ōr- (stem of ōs ) “mouth” (cognate with Sanskrit āsya ) + -al¹

usage note for oral

1. See verbal.

OTHER WORDS FROM oral

o·ral·i·ty, nouno·ral·ly, adverbnon·o·ral, adjectivepost·o·ral, adjective

sub·o·ral, adjectiveun·o·ral, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH oral

oral , aural

Words nearby oral

oracular, oracy, orad, Oradea, ora et labora, oral, oral biology, oral cavity, oral contraceptive, orale, oral eroticism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use oral in a sentence

The Supreme Court’s first oral arguments in its new term will be held by remote teleconference because of the continued threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the justices announced Wednesday.
Because of pandemic, Supreme Court will begin new term with teleconference arguments|Robert Barnes|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
Sabin’s so-called attenuated strains became the famous oral polio vaccine given on a sugar cube to billions of children.
Synthetic biologists have created a slow-growing version of the coronavirus to give as a vaccine|David Rotman|September 16, 2020|MIT Technology Review
There’s little doubt that in this process, the virus also spreads to the body’s oral cavity.
Spit vs. Swab? Scientists say new studies support use of ‘saliva tests’ for COVID|Lee Clifford|September 5, 2020|Fortune
In a typical LAMP assay, a patient’s nasal or oral swab sample is mixed with enzymes and specially designed DNA fragments, then heated to 65° Celsius to copy the viral RNA to DNA and produce many more DNA copies.
New coronavirus tests promise to be faster, cheaper and easier|Jack J. Lee|August 31, 2020|Science News

It’s transmitted through the fecal-oral route, meaning that humans consume food that has contaminated feces on it.
The Salmonella Outbreaks Among Peaches and Onions, Explained|Jenny G. Zhang|August 28, 2020|Eater
My doctor put me on oral contraceptives to induce a period, figuring it would help build bone.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The second major split between the capital and the court occurred over oral care.
The French Court’s Royal Ban on Smiles|William O’Connor|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“He was attempting to force me into oral sex,” Ruehli told Philadelphia Magazine.
Bill Cosby’s Long List of Accusers (So Far): 18 Alleged Sexual Assault Victims Between 1965-2004|Marlow Stern|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Also, when Nelson died and Hugh Morrow did his own oral history project and talked to about 75 Rockefeller associates.
This Republican Loved Taxes & Modern Art|Scott Porch|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The papers report that J.W. was too afraid to resist his command for her to perform oral sex on him.
Rape, Lies & Videotape in Ferguson|Michael Daly|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These oral inanities only served to make Lyn give me the benefit of a look of amused wonder.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
But none of the orders given were more than oral, for the governor did not want them set on the records.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Oral evidence may be admitted to establish the location of monuments, and even hearsay evidence may be used for the purpose.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
Oral evidence is admissible to prove the fraud or mistake; it must, however, be clear before a court will grant relief.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
The improvement of land by the purchaser under an oral contract is an act which enables him to enforce the contract in equity.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles

British Dictionary definitions for oral

oral

/ (ˈɔːrəl, ˈɒrəl) /

adjective

spoken or verbalan oral agreement

relating to, affecting, or for use in the mouthan oral thermometer

of or relating to the surface of an animal, such as a jellyfish, on which the mouth is situated

denoting a drug to be taken by mouthan oral contraceptive Compare parenteral

of, relating to, or using spoken words

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

psychoanal

relating to a stage of psychosexual development during which the child's interest is concentrated on the mouth
denoting personality traits, such as dependence, selfishness, and aggression, resulting from fixation at the oral stageCompare anal (def. 2), genital (def. 2), phallic (def. 2)

noun

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

Derived forms of oral

orally, adverb

Word Origin for oral

C17: from Late Latin orālis, from Latin ōs face

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for oral

oral

[ ôr′əl ]

adj.

Of or relating to the mouth.

Used in or taken through the mouth.

Of or relating to the first stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory, in which the mouth is the focus of exploration and pleasure.

Other words from oral

o′ral•ly adv.

Scientific definitions for oral

oral

[ ôr′əl ]

Relating to or involving the mouth.

oral

Origin of oral

usage note for oral

OTHER WORDS FROM oral

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH oral

Words nearby oral

Words related to oral

How to use oral in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oral

Derived forms of oral

Word Origin for oral

Medical definitions for oral

Other words from oral

Scientific definitions for oral