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

Most passengers might miss these lounges entirely, but hidden inside the world’s busiest airports are oases reserved for the global elite. —Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The 62,000-square foot Maxx Wellbeing Centre is also a dizzying universe of wellness and an oasis of serenity. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025

Many luxury homes are gated, set on large lots, or feature landscaping that creates a private oasis. —Rowan Briggs, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden located across the street from the Miami Beach Convention Center, offers an intimate 3-acre tropical oasis in the heart of the city to reconnect with nature. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 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