o•ral^*ˈɔr əl, ˈoʊr-(adj.)

1. uttered by the mouth; spoken:

   oral testimony.

2. of, using, or transmitted by speech:

   oral teaching methods; oral traditions.

   Category: Language/Linguistics

3. of or involving the mouth:

   oral hygiene.

   Category: Anatomy

4. done or administered through the mouth.

5. (of a speech sound) pronounced with all the air issuing through the mouth and none through the nose, as the normal English vowels or the consonants (b) and (v).

   Category: Phonetics

6. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the earliest phase of psychosexual development, during which pleasure is derived from activities involving the mouth, as sucking, eating, and babbling. of or pertaining to a group of adult behaviors and personality traits including eating, talking, feeding, and being friendly and generous.

   Category: Psychology

7. Category: Dentistry

   Ref: lingual (def. 4). 5

8. (n.)an oral examination in a school, college, or university, given esp. to a candidate for an advanced degree.

^* Usage: See verbal.

Origin of oral:

1615–25; < L ōr- (s. of ōs) mouth + -al1

o′ral•ly(adv.)