adjective / noun

oral

OR-uhl/ˈɔːrəl/

Relating to or done through the mouth.

The dentist uses a small mirror during the patient's oral examination.

A close, simple oral examination: a dentist uses a small dental mirror inside a patient's open mouth, making the mouth-related sense directly visible.

Etymology

The pieces mean 'relating to the mouth.' Speech is produced through the mouth, so the same adjective describes words delivered by speaking rather than writing.

In context

AskHistorians50:54

whether they're written, whether they're oral, whether it's archaeological

Indigenous Histories Disrupting Yours: Sovereignties, History, and Power

More examples

This medication comes in an oral form.
Daily brushing and flossing support good oral health.
She gives oral instructions instead of writing them down.
Graduate students answer questions from a faculty panel during their orals.

Forms

oral · orals

orally adverb — Through the mouth or by spoken words.

Similar words

dental: Specifically concerns teeth, rather than the mouth as a whole.
spoken: Describes speech, not other activities or conditions involving the mouth.