# oracle

/ˈɔɹəkəɫ/ (US) · /ˈɒɹəkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/oracle
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. ancient source of prophecy

noun · CEFR B2

in ancient times, a priest or a holy place where people went to ask the gods for advice about the future.

For teachers: a priest or priestess acting as a medium through whom advice or prophecy was sought from the gods in classical antiquity.

- In ancient Greece, leaders often visited the oracle at Delphi before going to war.
- The king refused to mobilize his army until the oracle had delivered a favorable prophecy regarding the outcome of the campaign.

### 2. a wise person

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

someone who is considered very wise and whose advice people trust.

For teachers: a person thought to possess great wisdom or authority in a particular field.

- My grandfather was the family oracle, and everyone went to him for help with their problems.
- In the world of high finance, he was regarded as an oracle whose every market prediction was followed with religious devotion.

### 3. computing/math entity

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a system or service that provides specific information to a computer program or a smart contract.

For teachers: a theoretical or third-party entity capable of providing external data to a system, such as a blockchain or a Turing machine.

- The smart contract uses an oracle to check the current price of gold.
- The reliability of the decentralized application depends entirely on the integrity of the oracle providing real-time weather data.

## Examples

- Many investors consider him the oracle of the stock market.
- In ancient Greece, leaders would travel for days to consult the oracle before declaring war on their neighbors.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.