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Synonyms

oratory

1 American  
[awr-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, or-] / ˈɔr əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, ˈɒr- /

noun

  1. skill or eloquence in public speaking.

    The evangelist moved thousands to repentance with his oratory.
    Synonyms:
    declamation, delivery, rhetoric

  2. the art of public speaking, especially in a formal and eloquent manner.

oratory 2 American  
[awr-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, or-] / ˈɔr əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, ˈɒr- /

noun

plural

oratories

  1. a place of prayer, as a small chapel or a room for private devotions.

  2. (initial capital letter) any of the religious societies of secular priests who live in religious communities but do not take vows.

Oratory 1 British  
/ -trɪ, ˈɒrətərɪ /

noun

  1. Also called: Congregation of the Oratory.  the religious society of secular priests ( Oratorians ) living in a community founded by St Philip Neri

  2. any church belonging to this society

    the Brompton Oratory
"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
oratory 2 British  
/ ˈɒrətərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

  1. the art of public speaking

  2. rhetorical skill or style

"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
oratory 3 British  
/ -trɪ, ˈɒrətərɪ /

noun

  1. a small room or secluded place, set apart for private prayer

"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

Other Word Forms

  • oratorical adjective
  • oratorically adverb

Etymology

Origin of oratory1

1580–90; < Latin ōrātōria, noun use of feminine of ōrātōrius of an orator. See orator, -tory 1

Origin of oratory2

1300–50; Middle English < Late Latin ōrātōrium place of prayer. See orator, -tory 2

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.

His oratory and pen helped shape the 14th Amendment’s guarantees of citizenship and equal protection and the 15th’s promise of black male suffrage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

His gift for oratory could energize all kinds of people, including workers, presidents and other heads of state.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2025

Her 40-minute speech was not exactly the soaring oratory that the Obamas delivered earlier in the week, but the euphoria and confidence in the arena was palpable.

From BBC • Aug. 23, 2024

So far, the Democratic National Convention has been filled with era-marking oratory.

From Slate • Aug. 22, 2024

Before he spoke, he was terribly nervous—but how he described those nerves gives an insight into how thoroughgoing was his theory of oratory: Personally, I am always very nervous when I begin to speak.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

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.