oasis

noun

oa·​sis ō-ˈā-səs How to pronounce oasis (audio)
plural oases ō-ˈā-ˌsēz How to pronounce oasis (audio)
1
: a fertile or green area in an arid region (such as a desert)
The caravan stopped to rest at an oasis.
2
: something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast
The small park is a welcome oasis amid the city's many factories.

Examples of oasis in a Sentence

The small park is a welcome oasis amid the city's many factories. Our brief trip to the beach was a much-needed oasis in a summer of hard work.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This naturalistic garden has almost half native plants and half non-native, but is an oasis in the middle of the city. Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025 Throughout their stay in a tropical oasis, Islanders will couple up to face brand new heart-racing challenges and bigger twists and turns than ever before. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025 The birds are not the only ones flying in to see this oasis. Angus Watson, CNN Money, 25 June 2025 In Gabès, a coastal oasis suffocated by a chemical complex, a fishing family is torn between survival and escape. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for oasis

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin Oasis, referring to the Great Oasis of Kharge in the Libyan Desert of Egypt, borrowed from Greek Óasis (Herodotus), borrowed from Egyptian wḥꜢ.t "fertile area in the desert"

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oasis was in 1613

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oasis. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

oasis

noun
oa·​sis ō-ˈā-səs How to pronounce oasis (audio)
plural oases -ˈā-ˌsēz How to pronounce oasis (audio)
1
: a fertile or green spot in a desert
2
: something or some place that provides refreshing relief

More from Merriam-Webster on oasis

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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