adjective
oral
AW-ruhl
adjective
1
Relating to the mouth.
"The dentist checked her oral health during the visit."
2
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 notesIn 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
Common pairings
oral tradition
oral exam
oral hygiene
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The dentist checked her _____ health during the visit.
Etymology
From Late Latin oralis, from os, "mouth," plus the adjective ending -alis.