oracle

one who is wise, authoritative, or highly regarded; a divine revelation

Not to be confused with:

auricle – outer portion of the ear; a part resembling an ear

or·a·cle

(ôr′ə-kəl, ŏr′-)

a. A shrine consecrated to the worship and consultation of a prophetic deity, as that of Apollo at Delphi.

b. A person, such as a priestess, through whom a deity is held to respond when consulted.

c. The response given through such a medium, often in the form of an enigmatic statement or allegory.

a. A person considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinions.

b. An authoritative or wise statement or prediction.

3. A command or revelation from God.

4. In the Bible, the sanctuary of the Temple.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ōrāculum, from ōrāre, to speak.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

oracle

(ˈɒrəkəl)

1. (Other Non-Christian Religions) a prophecy, often obscure or allegorical, revealed through the medium of a priest or priestess at the shrine of a god

2. (Other Non-Christian Religions) a shrine at which an oracular god is consulted

3. (Other Non-Christian Religions) an agency through which a prophecy is transmitted

4. any person or thing believed to indicate future action with infallible authority

5. a statement believed to be infallible and authoritative

6. (Bible) Bible

a. a message from God

b. the holy of holies in the Israelite temple

[C14: via Old French from Latin ōrāculum, from ōrāre to request]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

or•a•cle

(ˈɔr ə kəl, ˈɒr-)

n.

1. (esp. in the ancient world)

a. a shrine at which inquiries are made of a particular deity through a means of divination.

b. the agency by which the inquiry is answered, as a priest or priestess.

c. the typically terse, ambiguous response of the deity.

2. a person who delivers authoritative and usu. influential pronouncements.

3. any utterance regarded as authoritative, unquestionably wise, or infallible.

4. the holy of holies of the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. I Kings 6:16, 19–23.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Old French < Latin ōrāculum divine utterance <ōrā(re) to supplicate, pray to]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	oracle - an authoritative person who divines the future prophesier, prophet, vaticinator, seer augur, auspex - (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy diviner - someone who claims to discover hidden knowledge with the aid of supernatural powers prophetess - a woman prophet sibyl - (ancient Rome) a woman who was regarded as an oracle or prophet
	2.	oracle - a prophecy (usually obscure or allegorical) revealed by a priest or priestess; believed to be infallible divination, prophecy - a prediction uttered under divine inspiration
	3.	oracle - a shrine where an oracular god is consulted shrine - a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

oracle

noun

1. prophet, diviner, sage, seer, clairvoyant, augur, soothsayer, sibyl, prophesier Ancient peoples consulted the oracle and the shaman for advice.

2. prophecy, vision, revelation, forecast, prediction, divination, prognostication, augury, divine utterance Aeneas had begged the Sybil to speak her oracle in words.

3. authority, judge, expert, source, professional, master, specialist, adviser, scholar, guru, mentor, pundit, wizard, mastermind, connoisseur, arbiter, high priest, horse's mouth, fundi (S. African) He is the oracle on modern etiquette.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

oracle

noun

Something that is foretold by or as if by supernatural means:

divination, prophecy, soothsaying, vaticination, vision.

Translations

شَخْص ذو مَعْرِفَهوَحْي، مَهْبِط الوَحْي

orakel

Orakel unfehlbare Autorität

μαντείο μάντης χρησμός

oráculo

oracle

bölcs: nagy bölcsjóshely

véfréttvéfrétt, gáfnaljós

oracolo luminare

orakulaspranašasžynys

autoritāteorākulszinātājs

orakel

veštiareň

bilge kişikehanette bulunulan yer

圣贤大智者神谕处神谕宣示台

oracle

[ˈɒrəkl] N → oráculo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

oracle

[ˈɒrək^əl] n → oracle m

oracle

→ Orakel nt; (= person) → Seher(in) m(f); (fig) → Alleswisser(in) m(f)

Oracle® britisches Videotext-System

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

oracle

[ˈɒrəkl] n → oracolo

oracle

(ˈorəkl) noun

1. a very knowledgeable person. I don't know the answer to this problem, so I'd better go and ask the oracle.

2. in former times, a holy place where a god was believed to give answers to questions. the oracle at Delphi.