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oracle

/ˈɔrəkəl/
/ˈʌʊrəkəl/
IPA guide

Other forms: oracles

Back in ancient times, an oracle was someone who offered advice or a prophecy thought to have come directly from a divine source. In modern usage, any good source of information can be called an oracle.

In his Apology, Plato claims that the oracle at Delphi played a vital role in the career of the philosopher Socrates, and a Delphic prophecy sets the tragedy of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex in motion. The word oracle can also be used to describe the utterances of a seer or anyone else who is pretty darn good at predicting the future.

Definitions of oracle
  1. noun
    a shrine where an oracular god is consulted
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    examples:
    Oracle of Apollo
    (Greek mythology) the oracle at Delphi where a priestess supposedly delivered messages from Apollo to those who sought advice; the messages were usually obscure or ambiguous
    type of:
    shrine
    a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person
  2. noun
    an authoritative person who divines the future
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    types:
    augur, auspex
    (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy
    prophetess
    a woman prophet
    sibyl
    (ancient Rome) a woman who was regarded as an oracle or prophet
    type of:
    diviner
    someone who claims to discover hidden knowledge with the aid of supernatural powers
  3. noun
    a prophecy (usually obscure or allegorical) revealed by a priest or priestess; believed to be infallible
    see moresee less
    type of:
    divination, prophecy
    a prediction uttered under divine inspiration
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