orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ə-tər 

ˈär-

1

: one who delivers an oration

The orator delivered the funeral oration at the cathedral.

2

: one distinguished for skill and power as a public speaker

is a masterly orator, able to reduce a throng of thousands to a hushed silence

—Raymond Bonner

Synonyms

• lecturer
• speaker

Example Sentences

though a brilliant wordsmith, Thomas Jefferson was by his own admission an unskilled orator

Recent Examples on the Web

During that brief period, her skills as an orator were repeatedly questioned. —Sally Percy, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022

Perhaps even more than as a legislator, Webster was primarily known as an orator in his day, and Paul devotes special attention to his public addresses in order to tease out the essence of his philosophy. —David Marques, The New Republic, 15 Nov. 2022

Washington was not only a charismatic educator and orator, but also a frequent visitor of Dallas. —Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022

But the two Americans had agreed that Hemesath, the more experienced orator, would take the lead. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022

When the British abolitionist George Thompson spoke in Boston in 1835, an angry mob awaited him at the building’s exit—and was deflected only when Child and other women formed a flying wedge around the orator. —James Marcus, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2022

Perhaps the most important element in this dynamic is candor—the willingness of the orator to trust the audience enough to level with it. —Jon Meacham, Town & Country, 30 Oct. 2022

That evening, the celebrated orator donned his familiar white suit and gave a public lecture and reading. —Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 4 Oct. 2022

The legendary abolitionist and orator is celebrated in this new documentary. —cleveland, 9 Oct. 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ət-ər 

ˈär-

: a public speaker noted for skill and power in speaking