oral

oral — adjective

1. expressed by speaking instead of being written down

1.形容詞B2
釋義

expressed by speaking instead of being written down

例句

The judge asked for an oral answer, not a written statement.

contrast: oral answer / written statement

Mia gave an oral report to the class about sea turtles.

collocation: oral report

同義詞
  • spoken

    the most direct everyday alternative

  • verbal

    often sounds more formal and can also suggest words in general

  • unwritten

    stresses that nothing is written, but not always that someone spoke

反義詞
  • written

    describes language put into words on paper or a screen

文法句型

oral exam

oral answer

oral agreement

用法筆記

Often appears before nouns such as exam, promise, report, or tradition. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about the mouth as a body part or a route for medicine.

常見錯誤

❌Please email me your oral report tonight.
✅Please email me your written report tonight.
💡If it is sent by email, it is written, not oral.

2. used on the mouth area, or taken into the body by swallowing

2.形容詞C1
釋義

used on the mouth area, or taken into the body by swallowing

例句

The nurse switched Dad to oral medicine after the injection.

collocation: oral medicine

Good oral hygiene can prevent pain in your gums.

collocation: oral hygiene

同義詞
  • mouth

    is the everyday noun, not a formal adjective

  • buccal

    is a technical medical word for the mouth area

反義詞
  • nasal

    describes the nose rather than the mouth

  • topical

    for medicine put on the skin instead of taken by mouth

文法句型

oral medicine

oral hygiene

oral care

用法筆記

Common with medical and dental nouns, especially medicine, care, hygiene, and surgeon. Distinguish from sense 1 when the word describes how information is given rather than which body part is involved.

常見錯誤

❌Rub this oral medicine on your arm.
✅Take this oral medicine with water.
💡Oral medicine goes into the mouth; it is not put on the skin.

oral — noun