Phrase guide

oral history

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: historiography, history, human-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Oral tradition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 口述歷史 /口述历史 (kǒushù lìshǐ) — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Chinese Mandarin: 口述史 (kǒushùshǐ) — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Dutch: mondelinge geschiedenis — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Esperanto: parola historio — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Finnish: suullinen historia — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • French: histoire orale — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Japanese: オーラル・ヒストリー — collection and study of orally transferred historical information
  • Russian: у́стная исто́рия (ústnaja istórija) — collection and study of orally transferred historical information