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 olive
2
: any of several colors resembling that of the unripe fruit of the olive tree that are yellowish green
3
: an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata
1
: of the color olive or olive green
2
: approaching olive in color or complexion
Examples of olive in a Sentence
Noun
a sauce made with chopped olives
Does the suit come in olive?
Recent Examples on the Web
Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 13 Apr. 2024
Garnish with the olive skewered onto the cocktail stick.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024
Another possibility is a rose gold Submariner with a green dial, perhaps in the popular olive shade.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
More accessible chambers harbor other histories: an Incan vase filled with gold coins, shards of a Spanish olive jar stained with the oldest wine in the Americas.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Gianna perked up a bit at dinner, eating black olives one by one off of the tips of her fingers.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 9 Mar. 2024
The combination of olives, mozzarella, chickpeas, and arugula is the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
Never use other household oils like olive, vegetable, or avocado as these oils can go rancid, leaving a bad smell on your cutting board.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Güven wore a dark olive blazer, and his mustache was trimmed into a neat chevron.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Flanked by olive and pine trees, the pebble beach features clear blue waters for swimmers and snorkelers.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Wineries, olive groves, hot springs, and all the shops and markets of downtown Paso Robles are just minutes away.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
Where to Stay on Crete With picturesque olive groves sloping down to sandy beaches, Elounda has become something of a Cretan Riviera.
—Eleni N. Gage, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, the olive press that serves Turmus Ayya and other villages produced less than a fifth of its normal output, according to B’Tselem, the rights group.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The sprawling property dates back several centuries and is surrounded by ancient olive groves and hilly vineyards.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024
The handle comes in four colors, including a very luxe-looking olive wood option.
—Carina Finn, Bon Appétit, 24 Nov. 2023
It’s surrounded by vineyards and olive groves and is a perfect stop over for those following the wine route between Florence and Siena.
—Ann Abel, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2023
Noun
Dip fresh radishes into seasoned tahini, guacamole, bean dip, olive tapenade, or cashew cheese sauce.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 13 Apr. 2024
Garnish with the olive skewered onto the cocktail stick.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024
Another possibility is a rose gold Submariner with a green dial, perhaps in the popular olive shade.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
More accessible chambers harbor other histories: an Incan vase filled with gold coins, shards of a Spanish olive jar stained with the oldest wine in the Americas.
—Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Gianna perked up a bit at dinner, eating black olives one by one off of the tips of her fingers.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 9 Mar. 2024
The combination of olives, mozzarella, chickpeas, and arugula is the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024
Never use other household oils like olive, vegetable, or avocado as these oils can go rancid, leaving a bad smell on your cutting board.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Güven wore a dark olive blazer, and his mustache was trimmed into a neat chevron.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Church members gave away necklaces with olive wood crosses from Jerusalem to drivers who pulled into the parking lot and recited to them a Good Friday prayer.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Flanked by olive and pine trees, the pebble beach features clear blue waters for swimmers and snorkelers.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Wineries, olive groves, hot springs, and all the shops and markets of downtown Paso Robles are just minutes away.
—Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
Where to Stay on Crete With picturesque olive groves sloping down to sandy beaches, Elounda has become something of a Cretan Riviera.
—Eleni N. Gage, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, the olive press that serves Turmus Ayya and other villages produced less than a fifth of its normal output, according to B’Tselem, the rights group.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The sprawling property dates back several centuries and is surrounded by ancient olive groves and hilly vineyards.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024
The handle comes in four colors, including a very luxe-looking olive wood option.
—Carina Finn, Bon Appétit, 24 Nov. 2023
It’s surrounded by vineyards and olive groves and is a perfect stop over for those following the wine route between Florence and Siena.
—Ann Abel, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'olive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near olive
Cite this Entry
“Olive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/olive. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
olive
noun
ol·ive
ˈäl-iv, -əv 
1
: an Old World 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
2
: an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata that contains the inferior olive of the same side
called also olivary body
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