oral history

NOUN

spoken historical recollection

Synonyms

WEAK

firsthand account folk literature narrative history oral record survivors' account witnesses' account

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“These bands were doing anthems, and they were talking directly to us,” says David Spero, a radio executive, in “Raised on Radio,” an oral history by Paul Rees.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

“I just believe in service,” she said in an oral history interview with the Eastern Kentucky University Research Center for Special Collections & Archives.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

“We were facing things that the average person would never even consider,” Basheer said in the “Storytelling Project” oral history.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2025

While McCartney was unquestionably the band’s reigning star, his bandmates’ contributions to Wings’ commanding success during the 1970s is amply demonstrated in McCartney and Widmer’s expansive oral history.

From Salon • Nov. 3, 2025

As she prepares dinner, I try to finalize the edits to my oral history project, but Mom finishes cooking before I’m done.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh