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Definition of oral
1a : uttered by the mouth or in words : spoken oral traditionsb : using speech or the lips especially in teaching the deaf
2a : of, given through, or involving the mouth oral health an oral vaccineb : being on or relating to the same surface as the mouth
3a : 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 bitingb : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependency and aggressiveness
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Examples of oral in a Sentence
She practices good oral hygiene by brushing her teeth at least twice a day.
As part of her oral examination, she had to recite the names of all the presidents.
Recent Examples of oral from the Web
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Hubbard's lawyers asked the Court of Criminal Appeals to hear oral arguments.
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In the early years, the program captured oral histories of WWII veterans.
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The Supreme Court’s modifications will remain in force until at least October, when the justices return from their summer recess and hear oral arguments in the case.
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The couple couldn’t stand at the end of oral arguments and quickly kiss each other on the mouth.
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I was honored to serve as one of Marshall’s law clerks and, during the year before his death, as interviewer for his official oral history.
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The Supreme Court is now being asked to lift the stays and accept the case for oral argument.
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On June 28, a $5 oral cancer screen will be offered.
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To put the ban in motion, the Justice Department would also have had to win at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which heard oral arguments on May 15 in the government’s appeal of the Hawaii decision.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oral'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of oral
Latin or-, os mouth; akin to Old Norse ōss mouth of a river, Sanskrit ās mouth
Other Anatomy Terms
oral
Definition of oral
: an oral examination —usually used in plural
First Known Use of oral
1876
Other Education Terms
ORAL Defined for English Language Learners
oral
playDefinition of oral for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to the mouth
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—used to describe a medicine that you eat or swallow
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: spoken rather than written
oral
Definition of oral for English Language Learners
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: a test in which you answer questions by speaking rather than by writing : an oral examination
ORAL Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
oral
playMedical Definition of oral
1a: of, relating to, or involving the mouth : buccal the oral mucous membraneb: given or taken through or by way of the mouth an oral vaccine an oral suspension of a drugc: acting on the mouth oral diseases
2: emphasizing lipreading and the development of vocal expression in teaching the deaf—compare manual 2
3a: 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 bitingb: of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependence and aggressiveness—compare anal 2, genital 3, phallic 2
orally
adverbLearn More about oral
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oral Spanish Central: Translation of oral Nglish: Translation of oral for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oral for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oral
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