oral history

noun

1

: a recording containing information about the past obtained from in-depth interviews concerning personal experiences, recollections, and reflections

also : the study of such information

2

: a written work based on oral history

oral historian noun

Examples of oral history in a Sentence

I'm reading an oral history of the Great Depression.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s also a pair of episodes telling the oral history of the project and Cole’s mindset at that point in his career. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 9 Dec. 2024

Collecting oral histories from Latino families throughout Wisconsin reassured her a career in historic preservation was the right choice, Tuczynski said. —Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 3 Dec. 2024

Popular on Variety This Chinese doc wants to be both an oral history of the event at hand and a record of the grief of those who lost family there — all framed by Li’s own pet marine exploration endeavor. —Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 23 Nov. 2024

This extensive oral history features numerous interviews with many of the women who were there during Factory and the Haçienda’s rise and fall. —David Chiu, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1