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

Las Vegas is an oasis in the middle of the desert that would not have been possible without Lake Mead, which was created by the Hoover Dam. —Big Think, 17 Oct. 2025

Here are their tips for layering on the greenery and using every inch of space to create an oasis that feels a world apart from the city. —Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025

Crossing the threshold into this quiet oasis near the former Berlin Wall feels like stumbling across a secret. —Diana Hubbell, Saveur, 16 Oct. 2025

Tierra Atacama is among the oldest—and newest—lodges in Antofagasta, set on the edge of desert oasis San Pedro de Atacama since 2008. —Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025

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