Oratorian

noun

Or·​a·​to·​ri·​an ˌȯr-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-ən How to pronounce Oratorian (audio)
ˌär-
: a member of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri founded in Rome in 1575 and comprising independent communities of secular priests under obedience but without vows
Oratorian adjective

Word History

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Oratorian was in 1652

Dictionary Entries Near Oratorian

Cite this Entry

“Oratorian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Oratorian. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Oratorian

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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