noun · femininethird declension
ōrātiō
ōrātiō f (genitive ōrātiōnis)
Classical[oːˈraː.ti.oː]Ecclesiastical[oˈrat.t͡si.o]
№ 736 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- speech, discourse, language
- the power of speech
- manner or style of speaking
- oration, public speech
- eloquence
- sentence or clause expressing a complete sense
- imperial message
- prayer or address to a deity
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
verba composita quae ōrātor pūblicē habet.ōrātiō -ōnis f — in Mille Verba, Urbs et Aedificia
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Sermo · Colloquium · Oratio
1. Sermo (εἰρόμενος) denotes a conversation accidentally arising, or at least carried on without any fixed and serious purpose; whereas colloquium, generally a conversation agreed upon for a particular purpose, like a conference. 2. Sermo is a natural mode of speaking; oratio, a speech premeditated and prepared according to the rules of art. The sermo arises when, in ordinary life, an individual speaks longer than usual, and continues speaking, and is accidentally not interrupted; the oratio has a definite extent with an observable beginning, middle, and end, and in it the speaker calculates upon not being interrupted. In the sermo, the language of ordinary life predominates, whether in prose or verse, as in the comic poets, and in the Sermones of Horace; whereas in the oratio the language is select, and in conformity to the rules of rhetoric. Cic. Orat. 16. Mollis est oratio philosophorum et umbratilis . . . Itaque sermo potius quam oratio dicitur. Tac. Hist. i. 19. Apud senatum non comptior Galbæ, non longior . . . sermo; Pisonis comis oratio. (iv. 23.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | ōrātiō | ōrātiōnēs |
| genitive | ōrātiōnis | ōrātiōnum |
| dative | ōrātiōnī | ōrātiōnibus |
| accusative | ōrātiōnem | ōrātiōnēs |
| ablative | ōrātiōne | ōrātiōnibus |
| vocative | ōrātiō | ōrātiōnēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- oratio subita
- an extempore speech.
- oratio funebris
- a funeral oration.
- oratio perpetua
- a continuous discourse.
- oratio composita
- an elaborate speech.
- orationem conficere
- to compose a speech.
- elegantia orationis
- tasteful description.
- oratio numerose cadit
- his style has a well-balanced cadence.
- fusum orationis genus
- a running style.
42 more phrases
- oratio in aures influit
- his words find an easy hearing, are listened to with pleasure.
- orationis expertem esse
- to be unable to express one's ideas.
- inflatum orationis genus
- a bombastic style.
- oratio altius exaggerata
- a bombastic style.
- oratio accurata et polita
- a carefully prepared speech.
- inserere orationi aliquid
- to interpolate, insert something.
- oratio aequabiliter fluens
- an easy, fluent style.
- rebus ipsis par est oratio
- the circumstances are described in language worthy of them.
- siccitas, sanitas orationis
- the plain style.
- ornatus orationis, verborum
- well-chosen language, grace of style.
- liber, oratio in manibus est
- the book, speech can easily be obtained.
- oratio pura, pura et emendata
- pure, correct language.
- includere in orationem aliquid
- to interpolate, insert something.
- elatio atque altitudo orationis
- the exalted strain of the speech.
- supersedeo oratione (not dicere)
- I avoid mentioning...; I prefer not to touch upon...
- oratio meditata (Plin. 26. 3. 7)
- a prepared speech.
- audientiam sibi (orationi) facere
- to obtain a hearing.
- genus dicendi (scribendi); oratio
- style.
- expedita et facile currens oratio
- an easy, fluent style.
- sed redeat, unde aberravit oratio
- but to return from the digression we have been making.
- orationem commentari (Fam. 16. 26)
- to prepare, get up a speech.
- orationem habere (Tusc. 5. 33. 94)
- to make a speech.
ōrātĭo, ōnis, f. oro,
I. a speaking, speech, discourse, language
I. In gen., the connection of words to express thought:
non est autem in verbo modus hic, sed in oratione, id est, in continuatione verborum, Cic. 3, 42, 167. 1. Speech, the power or faculty of speech, the habit or use of language:
quae (ferae) sunt rationis et orationis expertes, Cic. Off. 1, 16, 50: natura vi rationis hominem conciliat homini et ad orationis et ad vitae societatem, id. ib. 1, 4, 12.—2. Speech, language, utterance; opp. to fact, action, etc.:
lenitudo orationis, mollitudo corporis, Cic. Tusc. 5, 16, 46: idque videns Epicurus re tollit, oratione relinquit deos, id. N. D. 1, 44, 123: qui sunt leves locutores ... eorum orationem bene existimatum est in ore nasci, non in pectore, Gell. 1, 15, 1: nam quid te igitur rettulit beneficum esse oratione, si ad rem auxilium emortuum est, Plaut. Ep. 1, 2, 19: ut in vitā, sic in oratione, nihil est difficilius quam quid deceat videre, Cic. Or. 21, 70: qualis homo ipse esset, talem ejus esse orationem; orationi autem facta similia, factis vitam, id. Tusc. 5, 16, 47: partes igitur orationis secundum dialecticos duae, nomen et verbum, parts of speech, Prisc. 2, 4, 15.—3. Hence, a mode of speaking; a kind, manner, style of speech; language:
quin tu istanc orationem hinc veterem atque antiquam amoves. Nam proletario sermone nunc utere, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 155: nam opulenti cum loquuntur pariter atque ignobiles, eadem dicta eademque oratio aequa non aeque valet, Enn. ap. Gell. 11, 4, 3: quam tibi ex ore orationem duriter dictis dedit, id. ap. Non. p. 512, 8: aliam nunc mihi orationem despoliato praedicas, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 52: Creta est profecto horum hominum oratio, quam orationem hanc aures dulce devorant, id. Poen. 5, 2, 9: (Andria et Perinthia) non ita sunt dissimili argumento, sed tamen Dissimili oratione, Ter. And. prol. 11.—Esp. (in gram.): oratio obliqua, indirect speech, the use of dependent clauses in citing the language of others: quam (orationem) obliquam Pompeius Trogus exposuit (opp. to conciones directae), Just. 38, 3, 11.—Hence, 4. Mode of speech, language, use of language, style:
mollis est enim oratio philosophorum, Cic. Or. 19, 64: (fabulae) tenui oratione et scripturā levi, Ter. Phorm. prol. 5: ut Stoicorum est astrictior oratio aliquantoque contractior, quam aures populi requirunt, sic illorum (Peripateticorum) liberior et latior, quam patitur consuetudo judiciorum et fori, Cic. Brut. 31, 120: orationem Latinam efficies profecto legendis nostris pleniorem, id. Off. 1, 1, 2; cf. id. ib. 1, 1, 1.—5. Esp., the language of any people or nation:
Timaeus in historiis quas oratione Graecā composuit, Gell. 11, 1, 1: semper cum Graecis Latina (exempla) conjunxi ... ut par sis in utriusque orationis facultate, Cic. Off. 1, 1, 1.—II. In partic., formal language, artificial discourse, set speech (opp. to sermo, ordinary speech, conversational language):
mollis est oratio philosophorum et umbratilis, nec verbis instructa popularibus nec vincta numeris, sed soluta liberius: itaque sermo potiusquam oratio dicitur. Quamquam enim omnis locutio oratio est, tamen unius oratoris locutio hoc proprio dignata nomine est, Cic. Or. 19, 64; cf.: et quoniam magna vis orationis est eaque duplex, altera contentionis, altera sermonis, contentio disceptationibus tribuatur judiciorum, contionum, senatus, sermo in circulis, disputationibus, congressionibus familiarium versetur, sequatur etiam convivia, id. Off. 1, 37, 132.—Hence, B. A set speech, harangue, discourse, oration:
(oratio) ut gravis, ut suavis, ut erudita sit, ut liberalis, ut polita, ut sensus, ut doloris habeat quantum opus sit, non est singulorum articulorum: in toto spectantur haec corpore, etc., Cic. de Or. 3, 25, 96; cf. the context: illam orationem disertam sibi et oratoriam videri, fortem et virilem non videri, id. ib. 1, 54, 231: hanc habere orationem mecum principio institit, Ter. Hec. 3, 3, 21: pleraeque scribuntur orationes habitae jam, non ut habeantur, Cic. Brut. 24, 91: non est haec oratio habenda apud imperitam multitudinem, id. Mur. 29, 61: ignarus faciundae ac poliendae orationis, id. de Or. 1, 14, 63: in orationibus hisce ipsis judiciorum, contionum, senatus, id. ib. 1, 16, 73: quanta illa, di immortales, fuit gravitas, quanta in oratione majestas! sed adfuistis, et est in manibus oratio, id. Lael. 25, 96: qui orationem adversus rem publicam habuissent, eorum bona in publicum adducebat, Caes. B. C. 2, 18, 5: ab adulescentiā confecit orationes, Nep. Cat. 3, 3: Catonis aliae acerbae orationes extant, etc., Liv. 39, 42, 6: oratio plebi acceptior, id. 3, 69: accurata et polita, Cic. Brut. 95, 326: longa, Liv. 34, 5: acris et vehemens, Quint. 5, 13, 25: admirabilis, Cic. de Or. 3, 25, 94: angusta et concisa, opp. collata et diffusa, id. Or. 56, 187: aspera, tristis, horrida, neque perfecta neque conclusa, opp. laevis et structa et terminata, id. ib. 5, 20: circumcisa et brevis, Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 4: rotunda et undique circumcisa, Quint. 8, 5, 27: cohaerens, Cic. de Or. 3, 44, 173: concinna, id. ib. 3, 25, 98: stabilis, opp. volubilis, id. Or. 56, 187.—III. Transf.
A. The power of oratory, eloquence:
tantam vim habet illa, quae recte a bono poëtā dicta est, flexamina atque omnium regina rerum oratio, ut non modo inclinantem excipere aut stantem inclinare, sed etiam adversantem ac repugnantem ut imperator fortis ac bonus capere possit, Cic. de Or. 2, 44, 187: satis in eo fuisse orationis atque ingenii, id. Brut. 45, 165: non enim verendum est ne te in tam bonā causā deficiat oratio, Lact. 2, 3.—B. Prose (opp. to poetry):
et in poëmatis et in oratione, Cic. Or. 21, 70.—C. (In gram.) A sentence, a clause expressing a complete sense:
oratio est ordinatio dictionum congrua sententiam perfectam demonstrans, Prisc. 2, 4, 15: oratio dicitur liber rhetoricus, necnon unaquaeque dictio hoc saepe nomine nuncupatur cum plenam ostendit sententiam, id. ib.: defectio litterae, et syllabae, et dictionis, et orationis, id. 17, 1, 5.—D. (Under the empire.) An imperial message, rescript:
orationes ad senatum missae, Suet. Ner. 15: oratio principis per quaestorem ejus audita est, Tac. A. 16, 27: orationesque in senatu recitaret etiam quaestoris vice, Suet. Tit. 6; cf. id. Aug. 65.—E. A prayer, an address to the Deity (eccl. Lat.):
respice ad orationem servi tui, Vulg. 3 Reg. 8, 28: per orationes Dominum rogantes, id. 2 Macc. 10, 16: pernoctans in oratione Dei, id. Luc. 6, 12.—Also absol., prayer, the habit or practice of prayer: perseverantes in oratione, Vulg. Act. 1, 14: orationi instate, id. Col. 4, 2; cf. Gell. 13, 22, 1.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
ōrātiō ōnis, f
oro, a speaking, speech, discourse, language, faculty of speech, use of language: rationis et orationis expertes: Epicurus re tollit, oratione relinquit deos.—A mode of speaking, manner of speech, language, style, expression: Dissimili oratione sunt factae (fabulae), T.: mollis: oratio Latina plenior: utriusque orationis facultas, i. e. in both rhetorical and philosophical discourse. —A set speech, harangue, discourse, oration: Hanc habere orationem mecum, T.: multā oratione consumptā, S.: pleraeque scribuntur orationes habitae iam, non ut habeantur: oratione longā nihil opus fuisse: orationem adversus rem p. habere, Cs.: confecit orationes, N.: plebi acceptior, L.: cohaerens: illorum, qui dissentiunt, objection.—A subject, theme: huius orationis difficilius est exitum quam principium invenire.—The power of oratory, eloquence: omnium regina rerum oratio, Pac. ap. C. —Prose: et in poëmatis et in oratione: numeri, quibus etiam in oratione uteremur.—An imperial message, rescript: Principis, Ta.
Origins
Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin ōrātiō From ōrō (“to speak as an orator; plead; pray”) + -tiō.
Descendants
- Frenchoraisonfrom Old French oroison
- Englishorisonfrom Old French oroison
- Portugueseoraçãofrom Old Galician-Portuguese oraçon
- Romanianurăciune
- Sardinianorascione
- Sardinianorassione
- Sardinianoratzioni
- Catalanoració
- Englishoration
- Italianorazione