oral history

noun

1

: a recording containing information about the past obtained from in-depth interviews concerning personal experiences, recollections, and reflections

also : the study of such information

2

: a written work based on oral history

oral historian noun

Examples of oral history in a Sentence

I'm reading an oral history of the Great Depression.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond poetry, this night evokes the Black tradition of oral history – passing down lessons, narratives and lived experiences through spoken word. —Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 5 Feb. 2026

And in its final pages, the story leaves us with a silence that is far more devastating than anything a documentary or a thriller or another kind of oral history might have included. —Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026

Its goal was to document the oral histories of living legends who have brought about positive change in the world and to share their stories with future generations. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026

According to oral history preserved by the South-View Cemetery Association, when the state asked neighboring landowners whether a Black cemetery should be allowed on land along Jonesboro Road, the response changed everything. —Daniel Wilkerson, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oral history

• ethnohistory
• consistory
• mystery