n.
Pronunciation: ' o ̇ r- ə l, ' är-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin or-, os mouth; akin to Old Norse ō ss mouth of a river, Sanskrit ā s mouth
Date: 1628
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
– oral · i · ty \ o ̇ - ' ra-l ə -t ē , ō - \ noun
– oral · ly \ ' o ̇ r- ə -l ē , ' är- \ adverb