oratory

1 of 2

noun (1)

or·​a·​to·​ry ˈȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-ē 

ˈär-

plural oratories

1

: a place of prayer

especially : a private or institutional chapel

The mansion contained an oratory for the family's private devotion.

2

capitalized : an Oratorian congregation, house, or church

oratory

2 of 2

noun (2)

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

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• elocution
• public speaking

Examples of oratory in a Sentence

Noun (2)

a presidential hopeful with a gift for oratory and a highly charismatic personality

the politician's oratory sounded good only to people who didn't bother to think

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One source of Trump’s instinctive, inimitable political talent is that, for him, oratory and advertisement are entirely coeval domains. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

He was not limited to a single playing field either in sports (baseball, basketball, and football) or the arts (acting, oratory, and singing). —Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024

Rather oddly, for a film celebrating oratory in the Arabic language and in a particular Sudanese vernacular, the end credits feature a song in French: a language foreign to Sudanese people. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024

Obama made his name with soaring oratory about a collective opportunity to fulfill America’s promise and a memoir that was deeply introspective about his role in that fight. —Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English oratorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin oratorium, from Latin orare

Noun (2)

Latin oratoria, from feminine of oratorius oratorical, from orare

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

oratory

1 of 2 noun

or·​a·​to·​ry ˈȯr-ə-ˌtōr-ē 

ˈär-,

-ˌtȯr-

plural oratories

: a place for prayer

especially : a private chapel

oratory

2 of 2 noun

1

: the art of an orator

2

: oratorical language or speeches