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olive

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olive

Main Entry:: ¹ol·ive
Pronunciation:: \ˈä-liv, -ləv\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin oliva, from Greek elaia
Date:: 13th century

1 a: a Mediterranean evergreen tree (Olea europaea of the family Oleaceae, the olive family) cultivated for its drupaceous fruit that is an important food and source of oil; also : the fruit b: any of various shrubs and trees resembling the olive2: any of several colors resembling that of the unripe fruit of the olive tree that are yellowish green3: an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata

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