Orations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A public address that is often formal and intended to convey important messages or sentiments to an audience
2. A ceremonial speech that serves the purpose of persuading or informing listeners about significant topics or themes
3. Speeches delivered publicly with a formal tone to communicate key ideas or sentiments to listeners

Etymology: "Orations" is the plural of "oration," a noun for a formal public speech. The singular came into English by borrowing from Latin "ōrātiō," which was built from "ōrō," meaning "to speak" or "to plead," plus the suffix "-tiō," which turns a verb into a noun for the act or process itself. So at its root, an oration is simply the act of speaking, dressed up in Latin grammar. The word has a close relative that took a very different path. "Orison," meaning a prayer, comes from the same Latin source, but arrived in English through Old French, so the two words are doublets: one entered through formal learned Latin, the other through the everyday speech of medieval Europe. Their divergence shows how a single Latin verb could yield a stately public address in one case and a quiet devotional request in the other.

Synonyms: speeches, addresses, lectures, talks, presentations