oral

adjective

/ˈɔːrəl/

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[usually before noun] spoken rather than written口头的
- a test of both oral and written French法语口试和笔试
- oral evidence口头证据
- stories passed on by oral tradition口头流传的故事。
Synonyms spoken
spoken
- oral
- vocal
These words all describe producing language using the voice, rather than writing.
- spoken (of language) produced using the voice; said rather than written:
  an exam in spoken English英语口语考试
- oral [usually before noun] spoken rather than written:
  There will be a test of both oral and written French.将有一次法语口试和笔试。
spoken or oral?用 spoken 还是 oral？Both of these words can be used to refer to language skills and the communication of information: spoken/oral French • a spoken/oral presentation. In these cases oral is slightly more technical than spoken. Oral but not spoken can also be used with words such as tradition, culture and legends to talk about the way in which people pass stories down from one generation to the next, and in legal contexts followed by words such as evidence and hearing.
- vocal [usually before noun] connected with the voice:
  vocal music声乐
  the vocal organs (= the tongue, lips, etc.)发声器官
  Vocal is used to talk about the ability to produce sounds using the voice, and is often used in musical contexts when referring to singing.
Patterns
- spoken/oral French/English/Japanese, etc.
- spoken/oral language skills
compare verbalTopics Languagec1
[only before noun] connected with the mouth用口的；口腔的；口服的
- oral hygiene口腔卫生
- oral sex (= using the mouth to stimulate somebody’s sex organs)口交
- an oral contraceptive (= that is swallowed like medicine)口服避孕药
Topics Bodyc1
(phonetics语音学) (of a speech sound语音) produced by allowing air to flow through the mouth but not the nose口腔发声的；口腔的 compare nasal

Word Originearly 17th cent.: from late Latin oralis, from Latin os, or- ‘mouth’.

oral

noun

/ˈɔːrəl/

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(especially British English) a spoken exam, especially in a foreign language（尤指外语考试中的）口试
- a French oral法语口试
- He failed the oral.他口试不及格。
Topics Languagec1, Educationc1
(North American English) a spoken exam in a university（大学里的）口试