oracular

UK: /ɒˈrækjʊlə/ US: /ɔˈrækjəlɚ/ ,(ô rak′yə lər, ō rak′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

o•rac•u•lar  (ô rak′yə lər, ō rak′-), adj. 

1. of the nature of, resembling, or suggesting an oracle:
   an oracular response.
2. giving forth utterances or decisions as if by special inspiration or authority.
3. uttered or delivered as if divinely inspired or infallible; sententious.
4. ambiguous;
   obscure.
5. portentous;
   ominous.

• Latin ōrācul(um) oracle + -ar¹
• 1625–35

o•rac′u•lar•ly, adv. 
o•rac•u•lar•i•ty  (ô rak′yə lar′i tē, ō rak′-), o•rac′u•lar•ness, n.  Synonyms

• 1. prophetic.
• 2. authoritative, dogmatic.
• 4. equivocal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

oracular / ɒˈrækjʊlə/ adjective

1. of or relating to an oracle
2. wise and prophetic
3. mysterious or ambiguous

oˈracularly adverb

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

or•a•cle /ˈɔrəkəl, ˈɑr-/   n. [countable]

1. Antiquity (in the ancient world)
   • a shrine at which questions are asked of a particular god or goddess through some means of communication:
     the Delphic oracle.
   • the priest, priestess, or other person or sign through which the questions are answered.
   • an answer given by an oracle.
2. a person who makes statements that are thought to be wise.

o•rac•u•lar /ɔˈrækyəlɚ/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

or•a•cle  (ôr′ə kəl, or′-), n. 

1. Antiquity (esp. in ancient Greece) an utterance, often ambiguous or obscure, given by a priest or priestess at a shrine as the response of a god to an inquiry.
2. Antiquity the agency or medium giving such responses.
3. Antiquity a shrine or place at which such responses were given:
   the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.
4. a person who delivers authoritative, wise, or highly regarded and influential pronouncements.
5. a divine communication or revelation.
6. any person or thing serving as an agency of divine communication.
7. any utterance made or received as authoritative, extremely wise, or infallible.
8. Bible oracles, the Scriptures.
9. Bible the holy of holies of the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. I Kings 6:16, 19–23.

• Latin ōrāculum, equivalent. to ōrā(re) to plead (see oration) + -culum -cle²
• Old French
• Middle English 1350–1400