English Words Starting With O

• oral herpes

  nounMedium
  /ˈɔːrəl ˈhɜːpiːz/A common viral infection causing painful blisters or sores on and around the mouth.
• oral history

  nounB2-C1
  /ˌɔːrəl ˈhɪst(ə)ri/the collection and study of historical information using recorded interviews with people who have personal knowledge of past events.
• oral hygiene

  nounB2
  /ˌɔːrəl ˈhaɪdʒiːn/The practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean and healthy, primarily to prevent dental disease and bad breath.
• oral hygienist

  nounlow
  /ˌɔːrəl ˈhaɪdʒiːnɪst/A dental professional who specializes in cleaning teeth and providing preventive care for gums.
• oral interpretation

  nounLow
  /ˈɔːrəl ɪnˌtɜːprɪˈteɪʃən/The performing art of conveying the meaning, emotion, and nuance of a literary text aloud to an audience.
• oral law

  nounC2
  /ˈɔːrəl lɔː/A body of laws, rules, or traditions transmitted verbally from generation to generation, not written down.
• oral sex

  nounLow-Medium
  /ˈɔːrəl sɛks/Sexual activity involving stimulation of the genitals using the mouth and tongue.
• oral society

  nounC2/Academic
  /ˌɔːrəl səˈsaɪəti/A society in which culture, knowledge, traditions, and law are transmitted and preserved primarily through speech and memory rather than through writing.
• oral surgery

  nounC1
  /ˌɔː.rəl ˈsɜː.dʒər.i/A branch of dentistry and surgery that deals with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects of the mouth, jaws, teeth, and associated structures.
• oral tradition

  nounC1
  /ˌɔːrəl trəˈdɪʃ(ə)n/The transmission of cultural knowledge, stories, history, or customs from one generation to the next by word of mouth, rather than through written texts.
• orale

  nounLow (C2 in Spanish-influenced communities, rare in formal English)
  /ˈɔːrəl/ (if interpreted as 'oral')An exclamation or interjection of encouragement, agreement, or excitement (especially in Spanish-influenced contexts).
• oralism

  nounLow (Specialized)
  /ˈɔːrəlɪz(ə)m/A philosophy or method of educating deaf people that emphasizes lip-reading, speech, and the exclusive use of spoken language, as opposed to sign language.
• oralist

  adjectivenounRare / Historical / Technical
  /ˈɔːrəlɪst/A person who advocates for or uses oralism (i.e., the use of spoken language and lip-reading, as opposed to sign language, in the education and communication of deaf people).
• orality

  nounC2
  /ɒˈræl.ə.ti/The quality or state of being spoken, rather than written.
• oran

  nounVery Rare
  /ˈɔːrən/A given name, of Irish origin, meaning 'pale green' or 'little green one'.
• orang

  nounLow
  /ˈɔːræŋ/A large, long-haired, reddish-brown great ape native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.
• orang-utan

  nounC1
  /ɔːˌræŋ.uːˈtæn/A large, mainly arboreal, great ape with long reddish-brown hair and long arms, native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.
• orange

  adjectivenounHigh
  /ˈɒr.ɪndʒ/A round citrus fruit with thick reddish-yellow skin and juicy, segmented flesh; also the color between red and yellow.
• orange blossom

  nounC1
  /ˈɒr.ɪndʒ ˌblɒs.əm/The fragrant white flowers of the orange tree, especially the bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium), known for their scent.
• orange chromide

  nounTechnical / Specialized
  /ˌɒrɪndʒ ˈkrəʊmʌɪd/A small, brightly colored freshwater and brackish water fish (Etroplus maculatus) native to South India and Sri Lanka.

Showing 1641–1660 of 3187 words.