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.
Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter during an interview for an Office oral history that The Paper will employ much of the same crew that worked on the former mockumentary series. Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025 Huse oversaw the Florida Studies and University Archives collections at USF Libraries, gathering oral histories and helping to establish the Florida Environment and Natural History Collection. Gabrielle Calise, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025 It’s supposed to be an oral history, but Alexievich calls it a novel in voices. Rabih Alameddine september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025 His collection spans hundreds of rare varieties gathered from Appalachian and Cherokee seed keepers, the product of four decades spent working with mountain communities and recording the oral histories tied to seeds. Lila Hempel-Edgers, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Oral history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20history. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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