Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Psychoanalysis) The first sexual and social stage of an infant's development; the mouth is the focus of the libido and satisfaction comes from suckling and chewing and biting. This term describes a specific concept in Freudian psychoanalytic theory concerning early childhood psychosexual development.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • According to Freudian theory, fixation during the oral phase can lead to specific personality traits in adulthood.
  • The infant's primary needs and pleasures are centered in the oral phase.

Advanced Usage

• "to be fixated at the oral phase": In psychoanalytic discourse, this describes a person whose psychological development is partially arrested at this early stage, potentially influencing adult behavior.
  • Some theorists suggest that habits like smoking or overeating can be linked to a fixation at the oral phase.

Variants and Related Words

• Oral Stage: A completely synonymous term.
• Orality: A related concept referring to personality traits or a mode of experience associated with this phase.
• Psychosexual Development: The broader theoretical framework that includes the oral phase as its first stage.

Synonyms

• Oral Stage: The direct and most common synonym.

Related Concepts (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Anal Phase: The subsequent stage in Freudian psychosexual development.
• Psychoanalysis: The school of psychology from which this term originates.

Noun

1. (psychoanalysis) the first sexual and social stage of an infant's development; the mouth is the focus of the libido and satisfaction comes from suckling and chewing and biting