oasis

noun

oa·​sis ō-ˈā-səs 

plural oases ō-ˈā-ˌsēz 

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

That doesn’t mean the 77,100-acre oasis of craggy peaks, maze-like caves, and alpine lakes is any less enchanting. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

The family that lives next to my son invested many tens of thousands of dollars in creating an outdoor patio oasis that has an outdoor kitchen. —Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026

About 25 minutes before the crew splashed back down on our oasis, Artemis II Cmdr. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026

The oasis is packed with dense thickets of date palms and banana plantations. —Julie Bourdin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026

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

Rhymes for oasis

• basis
• glacis
• mesas
• stasis
• anabasis
• cholestasis
• haemostasis
• hemostasis
• hypostasis
• atelectasis
• bronchiectasis
• homeostasis

Kids Definition

oasis

noun

oa·​sis ō-ˈā-səs 

plural oases -ˈā-ˌsēz 

1

: a fertile or green spot in a desert

2

: something or some place that provides refreshing relief