orally

adverb

oral·​ly ˈȯr-ə-lē 

ˈär-

1

: in spoken words : by means of speech

The exam will be given orally.

an orally presented argument

Deaf, signing parents will "babble" to their infants in sign, just as hearing parents do orally; this is how the child learns language …

—Oliver Sacks

2

: by way of the mouth

The medicine can be administered orally.

Another example is amygdalin, which is found in the pits of peaches and apricots. If consumed orally, it is approximately 40 times more toxic than by intravenous injection …

—Des W. Connell

Examples of orally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When taken orally, DMT is quickly metabolized by enzymes called monoamine oxidases in the digestive tract and liver before its psychoactive properties can affect the brain. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026

Before it was written down, bards recited the adventures of Odysseus and the Greeks orally. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026

The mouth fiddle belongs to a family of instruments that are orally modulated, lending qualities of the human voice to the sound waves emitted by a vibrating string. — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Passed down orally for centuries, these vakhs became some of the earliest and most influential works of Kashmiri literature and were cherished by both Hindu and Muslim communities. — Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for orally

• aurally
• morally
• contributorily
• obligatorily
• discriminatorily
• mandatorily
• statutorily