ENGLISH
REFERENCE

oracle

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɔɹəkəɫ// UK //ˈɒɹəkəl// or·a·cle Archaic

n. a person or thing that gives very wise advice or predicts the future. In ancient times, people visited them to ask the gods for help with big decisions.

n. a person or agency considered to provide wise counsel or prophetic predictions, often held to be of divine inspiration. In modern contexts, refers to an authoritative source of information or a person whose opinions are highly respected.


SIMPLE

Many investors consider him the oracle of the stock market.

CONTEXTUAL

In ancient Greece, leaders would travel for days to consult the oracle before declaring war on their neighbors.

COMPLEX

The senior partner had become a sort of corporate oracle, whose cryptic pronouncements on market trends were analyzed with religious intensity by the junior associates.

Synonyms
Origin

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

Usage

Often used metaphorically in modern English to describe a person with great knowledge or foresight.

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