Wiktionary

oracle

See also: Oracle

English

edit
 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

edit

From Middle English oracle, from Old French oracle m, from Latin ōrāculum n.

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

oracle (plural oracles)

  1. A shrine dedicated to some prophetic deity.
  2. A person such as a priest through whom the deity is supposed to respond with prophecy or advice.
    Synonym: prophet
  3. A prophetic response, often enigmatic or allegorical, so given.
    • 2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 94:
      The several oracles included in this haftarah presumably were uttered at different times to the people in exile, presenting diverse themes and using distinct styles.
  4. (figuratively, archaic) Something said that must come true or cannot be countermanded; an inexorable command or declaration.
  5. A person considered to be a source of wisdom.
    Synonym: expert
    a literary oracle
  6. A wise sentence or decision of great authority.
  7. A fortune-teller.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 46:
      "Madame de l'Hôpital has been quite la fée bienfaisante" said Lauzun, who, like others, had been consulting the oracle. "I am bewildered by my future good fortune. I quite anticipate being married, if it is to bring me all that she predicts."
  8. One who communicates a divine command; an angel; a prophet.
  9. (Jewish antiquity) The sanctuary, or most holy place in the temple; also, the temple itself.
  10. (computing theory) A theoretical entity capable of answering some collection of questions.
    • 1994, Roger Penrose, “Quantum theory and the brain”, in Shadows of the Mind, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 380:
      Thus, an oracle machine (which enacts an oracle algorithm) would be like an ordinary Turing machine, except that adjoined to its ordinary computational operations would be another operation: ‘Call in the oracle and ask it whether Cq(n) stops; […]
  11. (cryptocurrencies) A third-party service that provides smart contracts with information from the outside world.
    • 2020, Daniel T. Stabile, Kimberly A. Prior, Andrew M. Hinkes, “Smart Contracts”, in Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology, Edward Elgar Publishing, →ISBN, page 223:
      For example, an oracle may send temperature data reported by the National Weather Service or report the daily LIBOR rate to a smart contract.

Derived terms

edit

Translations

edit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

edit

oracle (third-person singular simple present oracles, present participle oracling, simple past and past participle oracled)

  1. (obsolete) To utter oracles or prophecies.[1]
    • 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
      But this thy glory shall be soon retrench'd;
      No more shalt thou by oracling abuse
      The Gentiles; henceforth Oracles are ceast
    • 2006 October 18, David M. Halbfinger, “Hollywood Film Chain’s Latest Link”, in New York Times‎[1]:
      Primarily seen as a publicity vehicle for late-year releases, the awards show and its promoters have lately made pretensions to Oscar oracling: Jamie Foxx won the “breakthrough actor of the year” prize for “Ray” in 2004, after all, and Paul Haggis and his ensemble cast were honored for “Crash” four months before it won best picture.

Translations

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ “oracle”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

edit

Catalan

edit

Etymology

edit

Borrowed from Latin ōrāculum n.

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

oracle m (plural oracles)

  1. oracle

Further reading

edit

French

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle French oracle m, from Old French oracle m, from Latin ōrāculum n (12th c.).

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

oracle m (plural oracles)

  1. oracle

Further reading

edit

Anagrams

edit

Middle English

edit

Etymology

edit

Borrowed from Middle French oracle m, from Old French oracle m, from Latin ōrāculum n.

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

oracle (plural oracles)

  1. (Late Middle English) A shrine where hidden religious knowledge is imparted.
  2. (Late Middle English, rare) A heavenly or godly message.

Descendants

edit
  • English: oracle
  • Scots: oracle

References

edit

Old French

edit

Etymology

edit

(Cir. 12th c.) Derived from Latin oraculum n.

Noun

edit

oracle oblique singular, m (oblique plural oracles, nominative singular oracles, nominative plural oracle)

  1. An oracle.[1]
    Synonym: oratoire

Descendants

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ https://archive.org/details/lexiquedelancie00salmgoog/page/n8/mode/2up?view=theater
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=oracle&oldid=82491633"