olive

[ ol-iv ]
See synonyms for olive on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an evergreen tree, Olea europaea, of Mediterranean and other warm regions, cultivated chiefly for its fruit.: Compare olive family.

  2. the fruit of this tree, a small oval drupe, eaten as a relish and used as a source of oil.

  1. Also called olive wood. the wood of this tree, valued for ornamental work.

  2. the foliage of this tree.

  3. a wreath of it.

  4. any of various related or similar trees.

  5. the ocher green or dull yellow green of the unripe olive fruit.

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or made of olives, their foliage, or their fruit.

  2. of the color olive.

  1. tinged with this color: an olive complexion.

Origin of olive

1
1150–1200; Middle English <Old French <Latin olīva, by-form of olea<dialectal Greek *elaíwa olive, olive tree; cf. oil, oleaceous

Other words from olive

  • sub·ol·ive, adjective

Other definitions for Olive (2 of 2)

Olive
[ ol-iv ]

noun
  1. a female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use olive in a sentence

  • A canvas cover and rope handles concealed the character of my olive wood chest.

    The Dark Star | Robert W. Chambers
  • And Rue had taken the Yellow Devil from the olive-wood box that day and was busily making a pencil drawing of it.

    The Dark Star | Robert W. Chambers
  • She climbed to the seat beside the wheel; he tossed in the olive-wood box, turned on his lamps, and took the wheel.

    The Dark Star | Robert W. Chambers
  • He sat on the side of his bed, smoking, the olive-wood box lying open beside him, and its curious contents revealed.

    The Dark Star | Robert W. Chambers
  • Sunburst of my soul, if I pillow my head on anything while you are in the vicinity, it will be on that olive-wood box!

    The Dark Star | Robert W. Chambers

British Dictionary definitions for olive

olive

/ (ˈɒlɪv) /


noun
  1. an evergreen oleaceous tree, Olea europaea, of the Mediterranean region but cultivated elsewhere, having white fragrant flowers, and edible shiny black fruits

  2. the fruit of this plant, eaten as a relish and used as a source of olive oil

  1. the wood of the olive tree, used for ornamental work

  2. any of various trees or shrubs resembling the olive

    • a yellow-green colour

    • (as adjective): an olive coat

  3. an angler's name for the dun of various mayflies or an artificial fly in imitation of this

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or made of the olive tree, its wood, or its fruit

Origin of olive

1
C13: via Old French from Latin oliva, related to Greek elaia olive tree; compare Greek elaion oil

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