oral tradition

noun

: the stories, beliefs, etc., that a group of people share by telling stories and talking to each other

Examples of oral tradition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Toni Morrison found power and joy and agency in telling stories and in sharing narratives, and in cultivating and embracing the oral tradition that is core to Black expression. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025 Literary historian Paul Zumthor argues that poetry with a purely oral tradition in that era invoked an open discourse, while written poetry, still communicated orally, made up a closed discourse. David Silverberg, JSTOR Daily, 29 Jan. 2025 My father-in-law, a Harvard professor, of pure Irish extraction, had a prodigious memory and was heir to the Celtic oral tradition. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024 The oral tradition is something that is really important to preserve, and young people recognize this. The Dial, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oral tradition 

Dictionary Entries Near oral tradition

Cite this Entry

“Oral tradition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20tradition. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!