oratory

Everyday

1. The skill of giving powerful, good speeches in public. tree →
2. (church) A small chapel or room for private prayer; also a particular Catholic community and its church, like the London Oratory. tree →
3. (poetic) The place in the east where the sun seems to rise, thought of as a small chapel. tree →

In the lessons

Used in history, English and debating clubs: great speakers like Martin Luther King Jr. ("I have a dream") and Winston Churchill are famous for their oratory. In church life an oratory is a place set aside for prayer.

Examples

• Martin Luther King Jr.'s oratory moved millions of people. tree →
• The debating club helps you improve your oratory. tree →
• Ancient Romans studied oratory at school. tree →
• The castle has a tiny oratory where the family prayed. tree →
• His oratory made the crowd cheer. tree →
• The Brompton Oratory is a large Catholic church in London. tree →
• He exchanged his royal dress for another, and next morning, just as the sun looked forth from its eastern oratory, he went again into the city. tree →

Note

Uncountable for the skill; countable for the chapel ("oratories"). A speaker is an "orator". Pronounced "OR-uh-tree" (UK) or "OR-uh-tor-ee" (US).