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¹oral

adjective \ˈȯr-əl, ˈär-\

: of or relating to the mouth

—used to describe a medicine that you eat or swallow

: spoken rather than written

Full Definition of ORAL

a : uttered by the mouth or in words : spoken <oral traditions>

b : using speech or the lips especially in teaching the deaf

a : of, given through, or involving the mouth <oral health> <an oral vaccine>

b : being on or relating to the same surface as the mouth

b : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependency and aggressiveness

— oral·i·ty \ȯ-ˈra-lə-tē, ō-\ noun

— oral·ly \ˈȯr-ə-lē, ˈär-\ adverb

See oral defined for English-language learners

See oral defined for kids

Origin of ORAL

Latin or-, os mouth; akin to Old Norse ōss mouth of a river, Sanskrit ās mouth

First Known Use: 1628

Related to ORAL

Synonyms: vocal, spoken, uttered, voiced

Antonyms: nonvocal

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

Rhymes with ORAL

aural, chloral, choral, coral, floral, laurel, moral, quarrel, sorrel

²oral

noun

: a test in which you answer questions by speaking rather than by writing : an oral examination

Full Definition of ORAL

: an oral examination —usually used in plural

See oral defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of ORAL

1876

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

Oral

geographical name \ȯ-ˈräl\

Definition of ORAL

city W Kazakhstan on Ural River pop 214,000

Variants of ORAL

Oral or Uralsk \ü-ˈrȧlsk, yu̇-ˈralsk\

ORAL Defined for Kids

oral

adjective \ˈȯr-əl\

Definition of ORAL for Kids

: ²spoken 1 <an oral agreement>

: of, involving, or given by the mouth <an oral medication> <oral hygiene>

— oral·ly adverb

Medical Dictionary

oral

adjective \ˈōr-əl, ˈȯr-, ˈär-\

Medical Definition of ORAL

a : of, relating to, or involving the mouth : buccal <the oral mucous membrane> b : given or taken through or by way of the mouth <an oral vaccine> <an oral suspension of a drug> c : acting on the mouth <oral diseases>

: emphasizing lipreading and the development of vocal expression in teaching the deaf—compare manual 2

a : of, relating to, or characterized by the first stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory during which libidinal gratification is derived from intake (as of food), by sucking, and later by biting b : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits of passive dependence and aggressiveness—compare anal 2, genital 3, phallic 2

—oral·i·ty \ȯ-ˈral-ət-ē, ō-\ noun, plural oral·i·ties

—oral·ly adverb