The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between long noncoding RNA-HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to evaluate the effect on cell growth. HOTAIR expressions in 50 surgically resected samples (including tumor and paracancerous tissues) collected from OSCC patients treated in our hospital from January 2009 to December 2010 were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, and the relationship with clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis was analyzed. The effect of small interfering RNA treatment on cell growth (Tca8113, UM-1, and CAL-27 cells) was evaluated by MTT assay, and those on apoptosis and cell cycle were assessed by flow cytometry. HOTAIR was positively expressed in 45 samples (90 %). The expression level in tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissues (t = 5.459, P < 0.01). Relative expression level of HOTAIR was correlated with tumor size and clinical stage (P < 0.05). More HOTAIR was expressed in OSCC cell lines than in normal oral epithelial cells. Interfering with HOTAIR expression in Tca8113 cells significantly decelerated cell growth, arrested cell cycle, and promoted apoptosis (P < 0.01). HOTAIR was highly expressed in OSCC tissues and facilitated the growth of OSCC cells, thus probably being an eligible molecular marker for OSCC diagnosis and prognosis determination.