olive

1 of 2

noun

ol·​ive ˈä-liv 

-ləv

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

olive

2 of 2

adjective

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

Noun

Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil Senior commerce director Abbey Stone is a huge fan of Kosterina’s olive oils, which are made from Koroneiki olives grown in southern Greece. —Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025

Think simple recipes like a salad of juicy tomatoes and pieces of sea lettuce tossed with a vinaigrette or tuna with red pepper and roasted olives. —Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

Adjective

The founder and chief executive officer of Furtuna Skin is debuting two products Tuesday, including a honey sourced from Sicilian black bees, an endangered species, and an olive leaf botanical tea. —James Manso, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

Glacial water helps rebalance minerals, squalane restores suppleness, and olive leaf extract soothes redness and helps keep breakouts in check with its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial properties. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin oliva, from Greek elaia

First Known Use

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing olive

• olive branch
• olive drab
• olive green
• olive oil
• olive ridley
• olive tree
• Russian olive

Kids Definition

olive

noun

ol·​ive

ˈäl-iv,

-əv

1

: a Mediterranean evergreen tree grown for its fruit

also : the edible fruit of the olive tree that is the source of an oil

2

: a yellowish green

olive adjective

Medical 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