orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ə-tər 

ˈär-

1

: one who delivers an oration

The orator delivered the funeral oration at the cathedral.

2

: one distinguished for skill and power as a public speaker

is a masterly orator, able to reduce a throng of thousands to a hushed silence

—Raymond Bonner

Synonyms

• lecturer
• speaker

Examples of orator in a Sentence

though a brilliant wordsmith, Thomas Jefferson was by his own admission an unskilled orator

Recent Examples on the Web

The high point for those movements had come in 1896, when an orator named William Jennings Bryan gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention condemning the gold standard for setting the value of the currency. —Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025

One of Garfield's early administrative appointments was the abolitionist, orator, and freed slave Frederick Douglass, who was tapped as the recorder of deeds in Washington. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 30 Jan. 2025

The five orators are juniors and seniors in high schools across several U.S. states. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025

Six months later, the audience has changed because Notre Dame is two wins away from its first national championship since 1988 and the orator is more central to the story. —Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ət-ər 

ˈär-

: a public speaker noted for skill and power in speaking