olive

Meaning

Noun

1. A tree of species Olea europaea cultivated since ancient times in the Mediterranean for its fruit and the oil obtained from it.
2. The small oval fruit of this tree, eaten ripe (usually black) or unripe (usually green).
3. The wood of the olive tree.
4. A dark yellowish-green color, that of an unripe olive.
5. An olivary body, part of the medulla oblongata.
6. A component of a plumbing compression joint; a ring which is placed between the nut and the pipe and compressed during fastening to provide a seal.
7. A small slice of meat seasoned, rolled up, and cooked.
8. Any shell of the genus Oliva and allied genera; so called from the shape.
9. (UK, dialectal) An oystercatcher, a shore bird of genus Haematopus.

Adj

Of a grayish green color, that of an unripe olive.

Synonyms

olive tree

European olive tree

olive green

olive-colored

Olea europaea

olive-wood

olive brown

Oleaceae

Chinese white olive

oliva

common olive

olive colour

olive-coloured

olivary body

Chinese olive

olivaceous

olive moth

olive-green

olives

olive-tree

olive-branch

Translations

olive

🫒

Olive

🫒

oliva

🫒

aceituna

🫒

olijf

🫒

zeytin

🫒

azeitona

🫒

ελιά

olea

🫒

oliva

🫒

oliva

🫒

olivo

olivier

zeytûn

🫒

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɒl.ɪv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: olyve

Cognate with Church Slavic: лои

Cognate with Classical Armenian: եւղ

In summary

From Middle English olyve, from Old French olive (“olive, olive tree”), from Latin olīva (“olive”), itself either from Etruscan *𐌄𐌋𐌄𐌉𐌅𐌀 (*eleiva), Pre-Classical Greek *ἐλαίϝα (*elaíwa) (compare Mycenaean Greek 𐀁𐀨𐀷 (e-ra-wa), Ancient Greek ἐλαία (elaía)), or the same source as those two. In any case, ultimately from a Mediterranean Pre-Greek source, possibly Proto-Berber *wlw (“wild olive”). More questionably, maybe from Proto-Indo-European *loiwom (compare Old Church Slavonic лои (loi, “tallow”), Old Armenian եւղ (ewł, “oil”)). Doublet of oliva. Displaced native Old English eleberġe, literally "oil berry."