Definition of ORATORY

oratory

Plural: oratories

Noun

  • The art or practice of public speaking, especially with eloquence.
  • addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous)
    • "he loved the sound of his own oratory"
  • A private chapel or prayer room.
  • A Roman Catholic chapel; a building for public or private worship that is not a parish church.
  • A Catholic church belonging to the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.
  • The art of public speaking, especially in a formal, expressive, or forceful manner.
  • Eloquence; the quality of artistry and persuasiveness in speech or writing.

Examples

  • His mastery of Scrabble was matched only by his impressive oratory describing his wins.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English oratorie, from Anglo-Norman oratorie, Middle French oratoire, and their source, Late Latin ōrātōrium. Doublet of oratorio.

Synonyms

public speaking

Scrabble Score: 10

oratory: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
oratory: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
oratory: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

oratory: valid Words With Friends Word