[or.a.to.ry] n, pl -ries [ME oratorie, fr. LL oratorium, fr. L orare] (14c) 1: a place of prayer; esp: a private or institutional chapel
2. cap: an Oratorian congregation, house, or church
[2]oratory n [L oratoria, fr. fem. of oratorius oratorical, fr. orare] (1593) 1: the art of speaking in public eloquently or effectively
2. a: public speaking that employs oratory b: public speaking that is characterized by the use of stock phrases and that appeals chiefly to the emotions