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.
In this oral history, the people directly involved in one of the most stunning trades in NBA history tell the tale of Doncic’s departure from Dallas. Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026 The Mobile Memory Lab will offer digital archiving and oral history programs. City News Service, Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026 But the oral histories Katherine conducted, interviewing elderly islanders, with Tepano translating, may have been more valuable still. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments author Atwood and show creator Bruce Miller had explained in The Hollywood Reporter‘s oral history on The Handmaid’s Tale how Atwood’s sequel novel helped set the show’s ending on a different course. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Oral history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20history. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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