oracle
Definitions
A priest or priestess through whom a god was believed to speak; the shrine where this happened.
神谕传达者；神谕所。
A prophecy or message believed to come from a god.
神谕，神示。
A person regarded as an authoritative source of wisdom or advice.
智者，权威（被视为智慧或建议的权威来源的人）。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedor (mouth) + -acle (a place/means, from Latin -aculum) = 'the speaking place' — the mouth of the gods. From Latin oraculum, the spot where a divine voice was uttered. The word covers the prophecy, the priest who speaks it, and the shrine itself.
Root or still carries 9 more wordsWhy It Means This
An oracle is, at root, a mouth — the mouth through which a god was thought to speak. The most famous, at Delphi, was where Greeks came to hear the future. Because the oracle's word carried absolute authority, the term now means anyone treated as an infallible source of truth: 'she's the oracle on tax law.'
Common Collocations
- 1.consult the oracle求取神谕
- 2.the oracle at Delphi德尔斐神谕
- 3.oracle of……方面的权威
Example Sentences
- 1.
The ancient Greeks traveled to consult the oracle at Delphi.
- 2.
The oracle warned the king of a coming disaster.
- 3.
Colleagues treat her as the oracle on company history.