oasis

[ oh-ey-sis ]
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noun,plural o·a·ses [oh-ey-seez]. /oʊˈeɪ siz/.
  1. a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well.

  2. something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc.: The library was an oasis of calm in the hectic city.

Origin of oasis

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin, from Greek óasis, from Egyptian wḥʾt “oasis region”

Other words for oasis

Other words from oasis

  • o·a·sit·ic [oh-uh-sit-ik], /ˌoʊ əˈsɪt ɪk/, o·a·sal, o·a·se·an [oh-ey-see-uhn], /oʊˈeɪ si ən/, adjective

Words Nearby oasis

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How to use oasis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oasis (1 of 2)

oasis

/ (əʊˈeɪsɪs) /


nounplural -ses (-siːz)
  1. a fertile patch in a desert occurring where the water table approaches or reaches the ground surface

  2. a place of peace, safety, or happiness in the midst of trouble or difficulty

Origin of oasis

1
C17: via Latin from Greek, probably of Egyptian origin

British Dictionary definitions for Oasis (2 of 2)

Oasis

/ (əʊˈeɪsɪs) /


noun
  1. trademark a block of light porous material, used as a base for flower arrangements

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for oasis

oasis

[ ō-āsĭs ]


Plural oases (ō-āsēz)
  1. A small area in a desert that has a supply of water and is able to support vegetation. An oasis forms when groundwater lies close enough to the surface to form a spring or to be reached by wells.

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