Aural vs. Oral – How to Use Each Correctly

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Aural vs. Oral – What’s the Gist?

Careless listening is the likely culprit when distinguishing between these two words instead of having any possible confusion between the written forms.

  • Aural is an adjective describing the sense of hearing.
  • Oral is an adjective describing the use of speech.

In a sense, these two words are related. You use your ears to hear someone speaking.

aural versus oral

How to Use Aural in a Sentence

Aural definition: As an adjective, the word aural means of or relating to the ear, or to the sense of hearing.

For example:

  • The aural sounds of the symphony delighted her. (Adjective)
  • His aural sense was deadened after the infection of the inner ear. (Adjective)
  • The mother placed her overwhelmed son in a quiet room to help calm him from all the aural stimulation emanating from the family reunion. (Adjective)

The word aural comes from the Latin root auris, which means ear.

How to Use Oral in a Sentence

Oral definition: The word oral acts as an adjective, meaning uttered by the mouth or in words; or given through or involving the mouth.

For example:

  • Epic poems originate from an oral tradition that passed down the stories to later generations. (Adjective)
  • The father gave his children oral instructions for the day. (Adjective)
  • The baby took her oral vaccine willingly because of the pleasant taste. (Adjective)

Oral can function as a noun, meaning a verbal examination; however, the construction is usually in plural form.

For example:

  • The undergrad gave her senior orals hoping to pass the graduation requirement without trouble. (Noun)

The word oral comes from the Latin root of or-, os meaning mouth.

Outside Examples of Aural vs. Oral

  • A few wonky special effects aside (don’t look too closely during a jump into a river), “1917” is a major visual achievement. And an aural one. –Star Tribune
  • Even though it was power-dense and more efficient than the naturally aspirated V8s and V12s, Ferraristas bitched that the turbochargers muffled the engine’s sound, robbing the cars of their aural presence. –The Wall Street Journal
  • Hearings at appellate courts scheduled for today to April 30 will be rescheduled or resolved without oral arguments. –Honolulu Star-Advertiser
  • The High Court closed to the public weeks ago, and indefinitely postponed two weeks of March oral arguments — for the first time since the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak. –New York Post

Phrases That Use Aural and Oral

Not many phrases come to mind that use the word aural, but interestingly enough, there are many phrases for the word oral, including:

Oral presentation: Typically, an address given verbally in front of a physical audience.

  • The oral presentation on the status of the company was met with lackluster interest.

Oral contraceptive: A medication taken by mouth to prevent conception in women.

  • She went to her gynecologist for an oral contraceptive prescription.

Oral surgery: A branch of dentistry that deals with dental issues requiring surgical intervention.

  • After the examination, the dentist told the patient that he needed oral surgery to remove his decaying wisdom teeth.

Oral health: Having proper hygiene for the mouth, gums, and teeth for overall wellbeing of the facial area.

  • She brushed daily and flossed regularly to maintain her oral health.

How to Remember These Words

With these two words, the challenge comes when they are heard. Talk about irony.

It boils down to what body part is your focus. Remember,

  • Aural is for the ear
  • Oral is for the mouth.

Additionally, notice the recurrence of the letter a in words such as ear, audible, and hearing. All these words share the letter a with aural.

Or look at the recurrence of the letter o in words such as spoken, vocal, and mouth. These words share the letter o with oral.

Article Summary

Is aural or oral correct? Because aural and oral are pronounced exactly alike (\ȯr əl\), the speaker and the listener must focus on context to make sure the proper word is being used or is understood.

In other words, if you are looking to express the idea of something relating to be heard, choose the adjective aural. If you are looking to express the idea of something related to the mouth, pick oral.

  • Aural is an adjective.
  • Oral is an adjective.