Link Centre Dictionary

oral

UK/ˈɔː.ɹəl/ US/ˈoɹəl/ fairly common informal
adjective (4) noun (1)

adjective

1.

using speech rather than writing

  • “an oral tradition”
  • “an oral agreement”
Synonyms
Similar
2.

of or relating to or affecting or for use in the mouth

  • “oral hygiene”
  • “an oral thermometer”
  • “an oral vaccine”
3.

of or involving the mouth or mouth region or the surface on which the mouth is located

  • “the oral cavity”
  • “the oral mucous membrane”
  • “the oral surface of a starfish”
Antonyms
Similar
4.

a stage in psychosexual development when the child''s interest is concentrated in the mouth; fixation at this stage is said to result in dependence, selfishness, and aggression

Antonyms

noun

1.

Origin

PIE word *h₁óh₃s Early 17th century borrowing from Late Latin ōrālis, from ōs (“the mouth”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Phrases

  • oral allergy syndrome
  • oral argument
  • oral availability
  • oral candidiasis
  • oral cavity
  • oral dam
  • oral exam
  • oral examination

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Pertaining to

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.