Adjacent Words

Orator definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

OR'ATOR, n. [L.]
1. A public speaker. In ancient Rome, orators were advocates for clients in the forum and before the senate and people. They were employed in causes of importance instead of the common patron.
2. In modern usage, a person who pronounces a discourse publicly on some special occasion, as on the celebration of some memorable event.
3. An eloquent public speaker; a speaker, by way of eminence. We say, a man writes and reasons well, but is no orator. Lord Chatham was an orator.
4. In France, a speaker in debate in a legislative body.
5. In chancery, a petitioner.
6. An officer in the universities in England.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a person who delivers a speech or oration [syn: orator, speechmaker, rhetorician, public speaker, speechifier]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 15th century 1. one who delivers an oration 2. one distinguished for skill and power as a public speaker

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a a person making a speech. b an eloquent public speaker. 2 (in full public orator) an official speaking for a university on ceremonial occasions. Derivatives: oratorial adj. Etymology: ME f. AF oratour, OF orateur f. L orator -oris speaker, pleader (as ORATION)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Orator Or"a*tor, n. [L., fr. orare to speak, utter. See Oration.] 1. A public speaker; one who delivers an oration; especially, one distinguished for his skill and power as a public speaker; one who is eloquent. I am no orator, as Brutus is. --Shak. Some orator renowned In Athens or free Rome. --Milton. 2. (Law) (a) In equity proceedings, one who prays for relief; a petitioner. (b) A plaintiff, or complainant, in a bill in chancery. --Burrill. 3. (Eng. Universities) An officer who is the voice of the university upon all public occasions, who writes, reads, and records all letters of a public nature, presents, with an appropriate address, those persons on whom honorary degrees are to be conferred, and performs other like duties; -- called also public orator.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(orators) An orator is someone who is skilled at making formal speeches, especially ones which affect people's feelings and beliefs. Lenin was the great orator of the Russian Revolution. = public speaker N-COUNT: oft adj N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Public speaker, eloquent speaker.