Orals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Referring to spoken communication or the verbal expression of thoughts and ideas
2. Pertaining to a subject related to the mouth, including speech and verbal assessments
3. In the context of examinations, indicating assessments conducted through spoken responses rather than written formats

Etymology: "Orals" is the plural of "oral," used as a noun for spoken examinations, in which a candidate answers questions aloud rather than in writing. The noun form is the one that matters here: the adjective "oral" (spoken rather than written) is the older and more basic word, and the plural simply applies that sense to tests. The adjective entered English in the early 17th century, borrowed from Late Latin "ōrālis," which is built from "ōs," the Latin word for "mouth," plus the adjectival suffix "-ālis." So the core of the word is literally a mouth-related idea: anything "oral" is something done with the mouth. Its Indo-European ancestry reaches back to a root for the mouth, but the English history begins with that 17th-century borrowing.

Synonyms: spoken exams, speeches, talks, discussions, presentations

Antonyms: written exams