1
a
: uttered by the mouth or in words : spoken
oral traditions
b
: using speech or the lips especially in teaching the deaf
2
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
3
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 dependency and aggressiveness
: an oral examination
—usually used in plural
Synonyms
Examples of oral in a Sentence
Adjective
She practices good oral hygiene by brushing her teeth at least twice a day.
As part of her oral examination, she had to recite the names of all the presidents.
Recent Examples on the Web
USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
On Monday, the high court heard oral arguments for an appeal challenging the rulings.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oral 
Adjective
In a labor battle that began when the Starbucks mega chain fired seven employees at a Memphis coffee shop in 2022, the company seemed to have the upper hand during oral arguments before a conservative supermajority at the Supreme Court.
—USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
On Monday, the high court heard oral arguments for an appeal challenging the rulings.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oral
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near oral
Cite this Entry
“Oral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
oral
adjective1
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
2
: emphasizing lipreading and the development of vocal expression in teaching the deaf compare manual sense 2
3
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 sense 2, genital sense 3, phallic sense 2
orally
adverb
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