oral tradition
noun
: the stories, beliefs, etc., that a group of people share by telling stories and talking to each other
Examples of oral tradition in a Sentence
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Our ancestors—the hard-working, long-suffering peasant women who told these stories to each other and passed them down the generations through the oral tradition—knew everything there was to know about adversity.
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Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
As with much of Greek mythology, Homer’s Odyssey, in which Odysseus is the protagonist, originated in an oral tradition and is generally regarded as legend rather than a matter of record.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
So, instead, Roberts and the church’s small but mighty congregation of 30 carry on Second Baptist Church’s oral tradition.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Feb. 2026
Most children learn this lesson early (or used to), passed down through oral tradition and eventually repackaged as Saturday morning cartoons.
—Stephen Wakeling, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
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Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
As with much of Greek mythology, Homer’s Odyssey, in which Odysseus is the protagonist, originated in an oral tradition and is generally regarded as legend rather than a matter of record.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
So, instead, Roberts and the church’s small but mighty congregation of 30 carry on Second Baptist Church’s oral tradition.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 19 Feb. 2026
Most children learn this lesson early (or used to), passed down through oral tradition and eventually repackaged as Saturday morning cartoons.
—Stephen Wakeling, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oral tradition
Cite this Entry
“Oral tradition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20tradition. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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