adv · 4 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.
/ˈɔːɹəli/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AO1 R AH0 L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
By mouth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
This medicine is taken orally. Swallowing a pill sure beats getting a shot every day.
Pleasure your partner orally and manually.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Spoken as opposed to written.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
I took the make-up test orally because my arm is still in a cast.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adverb
Meaning 3
by spoken rather than written means
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
these stories were transmitted by word of mouth
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: by word of mouth
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
(of drugs) through the mouth rather than through injection; by_mouth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he was administered the drug orally
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English oral Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English orally From oral + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
37 source translations are retained for this English entry.