oral

adjective \ ˈȯr-əl , ˈär- \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of oral

1 a : uttered by the mouth or in words : spoken

oral traditions

b : using speech or the lips especially in teaching the deaf

2 a : of, given through, or involving the mouth

oral health

an oral vaccine

b : being on or relating to the same surface as the mouth

3 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

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orality

play \ȯ-ˈra-lə-tē, ō-\ noun

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orally

play \ˈȯr-ə-lē, ˈär-\ adverb

See oral defined for English-language learners

See oral defined for kids

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

But on Tuesday the high court hears oral argument in a case that will determine whether millions of small online retailers—like me—must collect sales tax in every state where their customers live and buy.

— ann whitley wood, WSJ, "Please, Your Honors, Don’t Put Me Out of Business," 16 Apr. 2018
The judge said the government’s detailed justifications for the ban had only been provided to court just before a recent oral argument and needed to be fully scrutinized.

— Bloomberg.com, "Trump's Military Trans Ban Same as Before, Judge Says," 14 Apr. 2018
The audio of the oral arguments was streamed live over the internet because there was so much interest in the case.

— jim puzzanghera, latimes.com, "Federal judges indicate they could remove Mulvaney as acting CFPB chief," 12 Apr. 2018
Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly has left ICU after having surgery for oral cancer last week.

— jenna west, SI.com, "Hall of Fame Bills QB Jim Kelly Leaves ICU After Cancer Surgery," 6 Apr. 2018
Wednesday's decision came less than a week after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in Kenai.

— nathaniel herz, Anchorage Daily News, "Independents can run in party primaries, Alaska Supreme Court says, opening door for Gov. Walker," 5 Apr. 2018
More online companies defend net neutrality As an intervenor in the case, the ESA can be represented in oral arguments and would file briefs in support of the lawsuit.

— jon brodkin, Ars Technica, "Online gaming could be stalled by net neutrality repeal, ESA tells court," 5 Apr. 2018
Hartwell can object and submit his own oral arguments for the board's consideration.

— yihyun jeong, azcentral, "Scottsdale schools' Louis Hartwell wants public hearing on reasons to fire him," 4 Apr. 2018
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports Hall-of-Fame NFL quarterback Jim Kelly took his first steps Sunday since undergoing nearly 12 hours of surgery for oral cancer.

— ryan gaydos, Fox News, "Jim Kelly takes first steps since grueling 12-hour cancer surgery," 2 Apr. 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1597

See Words from the same year

oral Synonyms

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

oral

noun

Definition of oral

: an oral examination —usually used in plural

See oral defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of oral

1876

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

Oral

geographical name \ ȯ-ˈräl \

variants: or Uralsk play \ü-ˈrälsk, yu̇-ˈralsk\

Definition of Oral

city on the Ural River in western Kazakhstan population 202,161

ORAL Defined for English Language Learners

oral

adjective

Definition of oral for English Language Learners

: of or relating to the mouth
—used to describe a medicine that you eat or swallow
: spoken rather than written

oral

noun

Definition of oral for English Language Learners

: a test in which you answer questions by speaking rather than by writing : an oral examination

ORAL Defined for Kids

oral

adjective \ ˈȯr-əl \

Definition of oral for Students

1 : ²spoken 1

an oral agreement

2 : of, involving, or given by the mouth

an oral medication

oral hygiene

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orally

adverb

Medical Dictionary

oral

adjective \ ˈōr-əl, ˈȯr-, ˈär- \

medical Definition of oral

1 a : of, relating to, or involving the mouth : buccal

the oral mucous membrane

b : given or taken through or by way of the mouth

an oral vaccine

an oral suspension of a drug

c : acting on the mouth

oral diseases

2 : emphasizing lipreading and the development of vocal expression in teaching the deaf — compare manual 2

b : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependence and aggressiveness — compare anal 2, genital 3, phallic 2

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orality

play \ȯ-ˈral-ət-ē, ō-\ noun, plural -ties

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orally

adverb

Learn More about oral

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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oral

Definition of oral

orality

orally

Examples of oral in a Sentence

Recent Examples of oral from the Web

Origin and Etymology of oral

oral Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Other Anatomy Terms

oral

Definition of oral

First Known Use of oral

Other Education Terms

Oral

Definition of Oral

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ORAL Defined for English Language Learners

oral

Definition of oral for English Language Learners

oral

Definition of oral for English Language Learners

ORAL Defined for Kids

oral

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orally

Medical Dictionary

oral

medical Definition of oral

orality

orally

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