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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gray also recalled his paperboy memories in the oral history, posted online at Orlando Memory. Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026 Indeed, Brazeal's debut novel is told as a faux oral history that draws directly on his lived experience as a former Google Cloud leader who worked inside Big Tech during the peak of AI and crypto. Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026 In the Television Academy's Miami Vice oral history, Johnson revealed the show’s cutting-edge content was made possible by simple subterfuge. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026 For many fans, the show was more an oral history of Bieber's successes and failures, rather than a traditional Coachella performance. Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oral history

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oral history was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oral history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20history. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster