Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

oration

/ɔɹˈeɪʃən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.60 in modern English

Syllables: ora-tion
IPA: /ɔɹˈeɪʃən/

7

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A formal, often ceremonial speech.

noun

A lengthy speech or argument in a private setting.

Humorous

noun

A specific form of short, solemn prayer said by the president of the liturgical celebration on behalf of the people.

verb

To deliver an oration; to speak.

Example Sentences

"a funeral oration; an impassioned oration; to make / deliver / pronounce an oration"
"[…] there is ſuch confuſion in my powers, / As after ſome Oration fairely ſpoke / By a beloued Prince, there doth appeare / Among the buzzing pleaſed multitude."
"And vpon a ſet day Herod arayed in royall apparell, ſate vpon his throne, and made an Oration vnto them."
"1752, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, No. 207, 10 March, 1752, in Volume 6, London: J. Payne and J. Bouquet, 1752, p. 279, The masters of rhetorick direct, that the most forcible arguments be produced in the latter part of an oration, lest they should be effaced or perplexed by supervenient images."
"[…] when the provinces again displayed their old flags (proscribed in Guzman Bento’s time) there was another of those great orations, when Don José greeted these old emblems of the war of Independence, brought out again in the name of new Ideals."
"My Landlord was likewiſe beginning his Oration to Jones, but was preſently interrupted by that generous Youth, who ſhook him heartily by the Hand; and aſſured him of entire Forgiveneſs […]"

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ōrātiō, ōrātiōnem, from ōrō (“to orate”) + -tiō (“action (nominalizer)”). Cognate with and doublet of orison.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: ōrātiō

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɔɹˈeɪʃən/
British English: /ɒˈɹeɪʃən/

Usage

Humorous

Inflected Forms

orations (plural) orations (present, singular) orationing (participle, present) orationed (participle, past) orationed (past)

Derived Forms

orational

Frequently Paired Words

orate orator oratory oratrix orison peroration

Synonyms

eulogy homily sermon address discourse harangue lecture spiel hold forth orate sermonize speechify

Rhymes With

information education situation population station association administration operation organization nation location application

Questions

How do you pronounce oration?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɔɹˈeɪʃən/.
What does oration mean?: A formal, often ceremonial speech.
Where does oration come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce oration

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “oration”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɔɹˈeɪʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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