orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ə-tər 

ˈär-

1

: one who delivers an oration

The orator delivered the funeral oration at the cathedral.

2

: one distinguished for skill and power as a public speaker

is a masterly orator, able to reduce a throng of thousands to a hushed silence

—Raymond Bonner

Synonyms

• lecturer
• speaker

Examples of orator in a Sentence

though a brilliant wordsmith, Thomas Jefferson was by his own admission an unskilled orator

Recent Examples on the Web

Hezbollah played on the popularity of Nasrallah, a skilled orator who spoke with a lisp and would crack the occasional joke and use slang. —Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024

Cicero: The Roman Cicero is an orator in Julius Caesar. —Kara Nesvig, Parents, 14 Oct. 2024

But Nasrallah has also proved a charismatic leader and orator who has bolstered Hezbollah’s legitimacy through a sophisticated communication strategy and has overcome harsh criticism before. —Nicole Narea, Vox, 18 Sep. 2024

Despite having received no formal education, Douglass proved to be a dazzling orator who had firsthand experience of enslavement. —Christine Kinealy, The Conversation, 14 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

orator

noun

or·​a·​tor ˈȯr-ət-ər 

ˈär-

: a public speaker noted for skill and power in speaking