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.
The book will follow the 2020 oral history Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece and former lead guitarist Marty Friedman’s memoir Dreaming Japanese, released last year. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 Within this archive, there are 125 oral histories documented. Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2025 On Saturday, the festivities continue with a community fun day, which includes treats, a waterslide for children, a beach clean up along with tours and collecting oral histories from people who’ve visited the beach in its earlier years. Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025 Plot details for the project are still under wraps, though Frankel and McKenna told EW in a 2021 oral history that a sequel would take some molding to get right. EW.com, 10 July 2025 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 22 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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