Main Entry:

¹oral

Pronunciation:

\ˈȯr-əl, ˈär-\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Latin or-, os mouth; akin to Old Norse ōss mouth of a river, Sanskrit ās mouth

Date:

1628

1 a: uttered by the mouth or in words : spoken <oral traditions> b: using speech or the lips especially in teaching the deaf2 a: of, given through, or involving the mouth <oral health> <an oral vaccine> b: being on or relating to the same surface as the mouth3 a: of, relating to, or characterized by the first stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory during which libidinal gratification is derived from intake (as of food), by sucking, and later by biting b: of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependency and aggressiveness

— oral·i·ty \ȯ-ˈra-lə-tē, ō-\ noun

— oral·ly \ˈȯr-ə-lē, ˈär-\ adverb