1. (n.) An elaborate discourse, delivered in public\, treating an important subject in a formal and dignified manner; especially, a discourse having reference to some special occasion, as a funeral, an anniversary, a celebration, or the like; -- distinguished from an argument in court, a popular harangue, a sermon, a lecture, etc.; as, Webster's oration at Bunker Hill.

2. (v. i.) To deliver an oration.

address after-dinner speech allocution chalk talk debate declamation declaration diatribe discourse eulogy exhortation filibuster forensic forensic address formal speech funeral oration harangue homily hortatory address inaugural inaugural address invective jeremiad lecture monologue panegyric pep talk peroration philippic pitch prepared speech prepared text public speech reading recital recitation sales talk salutatory salutatory address say screed set speech speech speechification speeching spiel talk talkathon tirade valediction valedictory valedictory address