[oral] adj [L or-, os mouth; akin to ON oss mouth of a river, Skt as mouth] (1628) 1 a: uttered by the mouth or in words: spoken b: using speech or the lips esp. in teaching the deaf
2. a: of, given through, or involving the mouth 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 n -- oral.ly adv
[2]oral n (1876): an oral examination--usu. used in pl.