adjective B1 Intermediate Common

oral

AW-ruhl

Oral (adjective) means relating to the mouth. Example: “The dentist checked her oral health during the visit.”

adjective

Relating to the mouth.

"The dentist checked her oral health during the visit."

Spoken rather than written.

"The history was passed down through oral tradition for generations."

"Students must pass both a written and an oral exam."

How to use oral

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither "of the mouth" or "spoken, not written."

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "aural," which means relating to hearing — the two are easy to mix up because they sound identical.

Easily confused with

aural → verbal →

Common pairings

oral tradition oral exam oral hygiene

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The dentist checked her _____ health during the visit.

Etymology

From Late Latin oralis, from os, "mouth," plus the adjective ending -alis.

Origin: Late Latin

Synonyms

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spoken verbal vocal unwritten uttered buccal

Related words

song voice spoken vocal implied verbal mute unspoken

Rhymes for oral

coral moral amoral floral choral immoral mayoral femoral corporal pastoral temporal doctoral

See all rhymes for oral →

Frequently asked questions

What does “oral” mean?

The word “oral” means relating to the mouth. In plain terms, either "of the mouth" or "spoken, not written.".

How do you pronounce “oral”?

“Oral” is pronounced AW-ruhl (/ˈɔ.ɹəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “oral” in a sentence?

Here is “oral” used in a sentence: “The dentist checked her oral health during the visit.”

What part of speech is “oral”?

“Oral” is an adjective.

Where does the word “oral” come from?

The word “oral” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin oralis, from os, "mouth," plus the adjective ending -alis.

Is “oral” a common word?

“Oral” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “oral” have?

“Oral” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the mouth.

What is the difference between "oral" and "aural"?

"Oral" and "aural" sound alike but mean different things: oral relates to the mouth or to spoken language, while aural relates to the ear or the sense of hearing. An oral exam is spoken aloud, whereas an aural exam tests listening.

What is the difference between "oral" and "verbal"?

"Oral" specifically means spoken rather than written, while "verbal" can refer to anything expressed in words, whether spoken or written. Saying "oral agreement" makes clear the agreement was spoken and not put on paper.

What are common phrases that use "oral"?

Frequent collocations include "oral exam," "oral history," "oral hygiene," "oral tradition," and "oral surgery." These draw on both senses of the word: relating to the mouth (oral hygiene) and relating to speech (oral history).

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